What morphological descriptor is applied to *Xiongguanlong* due to its skull shape?
Answer
Longirostrine
The most notable physical attribute of *Xiongguanlong* is its remarkably long and narrow skull, a feature which directly inspires the specific descriptor 'longirostrine' applied to the animal. This elongated morphology stands in sharp opposition to the deep, wide, and massive skulls that later tyrannosaurids, such as those from the Late Cretaceous, developed. The longirostrine structure is primarily due to the elongation of the snout region, emphasizing its role as a crucial intermediate form showcasing different predatory adaptations.
Related Questions
Where was the fossil specimen *Xiongguanlong baimoensis* unearthed from the geological record?How did *Xiongguanlong*'s estimated mass compare to the *T. rex* specimen SUE?What morphological descriptor is applied to *Xiongguanlong* due to its skull shape?What proportion of the total skull length did the preorbital region account for in *Xiongguanlong*?Which trait is absent in *Xiongguanlong* nasals but present in *Dilong* and *Eotyrannus*?What characteristic is noted for the serrations on the premaxillary teeth of *Xiongguanlong*?How are the maxillary teeth of *Xiongguanlong* described compared to later tyrannosaurs?How many pairs of pneumatic foramina do *Xiongguanlong*'s cervical centra possess compared to *Tyrannosaurus*?What characteristic of the axial neural spine is shared with more derived tyrannosaurids?Which other longirostrine tyrannosauroid do *Xiongguanlong*'s body proportions resemble?