What was the estimated total length of *Xiongguanlong* based on skeletal reconstruction?
Answer
~1.7 meters (5.6 feet)
The scale profile of *Xiongguanlong* reveals it was a relatively small predator, contrasting sharply with the gargantuan size achieved by later tyrannosaurids. Skeletal reconstructions estimate that this animal reached a total length of only about 1.7 meters, equivalent to 5.6 feet. This diminutive stature is a significant data point illustrating that the tyrannosauroid lineage did not begin as apex predators; rather, gigantism evolved much later in the group's history. Comparing its 1.7-meter length to the 12-plus meters of a creature like *T. rex* underscores the immense evolutionary trajectory the family undertook over millions of years.
Related Questions
When did *Xiongguanlong* inhabit the Earth compared to *T. rex*?What was the estimated total length of *Xiongguanlong* based on skeletal reconstruction?What location does the specific epithet *baimoutunensis* reference?What is the most defining characteristic of *Xiongguanlong*'s skull morphology?Which family groups *Xiongguanlong* with *Guanlong* and *Proceratosaurus*?To which geologic formation do the rock layers containing *Xiongguanlong* date?What key skeletal features of *Xiongguanlong* allow tracking of later tyrannosauroid evolution?Who were the paleontologists involved in the formal description of *Xiongguanlong* in 2010?What predatory niche did *Xiongguanlong* occupy relative to other contemporary Jurassic predators?What is the rough translation of the genus name *Xiongguanlong*?How does the cranial architecture of *Xiongguanlong* suggest a different predatory strategy than *T. rex*?