What key external feature present on Guanlong did Xiongguanlong notably lack?
Answer
A prominent crest on its snout.
When comparing *Xiongguanlong* to its close relative, *Guanlong*, one distinguishing superficial feature is the presence or absence of cranial ornamentation. *Guanlong*, which lived slightly earlier, is known for possessing a distinctive crest situated on its snout. In contrast, *Xiongguanlong*, while retaining the elongated nasal structures characteristic of this basal group, lacked this prominent crest seen in *Guanlong*. This subtle difference in morphology, alongside other skeletal variations, helps paleontologists delineate distinct sequential stages or side branches within the Proceratosauridae family tree as they map out evolutionary pressures during the Jurassic.
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