What specific facial feature distinguished Xiongguanlong from later bone-crushing tyrannosaurs?
Answer
A remarkably elongated snout due to long, slender nasal bones.
The most distinctive anatomical feature setting *Xiongguanlong* apart from massive, later tyrannosaurs is its skull architecture, particularly the nasal bones. While later tyrannosaurs like *T. rex* developed short, deep, and robust snouts designed to withstand immense compressive forces for bone-crushing, *Xiongguanlong* possessed an exceptionally long and slender snout. This elongation was contributed to by the premaxillae, maxillae, and most notably, the nasal bones themselves, which constituted a substantial portion of the overall skull length. This morphology points toward adaptations for a different lifestyle than extreme bite strength.
Related Questions
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