Chuandongocoelurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chuandongocoelurus |
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| Skeletal diagram showing known remains | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Chuandongocoelurus
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| Species: |
primitivus
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Chuandongocoelurus (say "Chwan-dong-oh-see-LOO-rus") was a type of dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic period. It was a meat-eating dinosaur, known as a theropod. This dinosaur lived in what is now China.
Discovering Chuandongocoelurus
Scientists first found Chuandongocoelurus in China. A Chinese paleontologist named He Xinlu described and named it in 1984. The full name of this dinosaur is Chuandongocoelurus primitivus.
When scientists discover a new animal, they often find only parts of its skeleton. For Chuandongocoelurus, they found two partial skeletons. The most important part, called the holotype, was a thighbone. This thighbone was about 20.1 centimeters (almost 8 inches) long. Other bones like vertebrae (backbones) and hip bones were also found. These bones helped scientists learn more about this ancient creature.
Scientists believe Chuandongocoelurus was related to another dinosaur called Elaphrosaurus. Both were fast-running theropods.
What Chuandongocoelurus Looked Like
Based on the bones found, Chuandongocoelurus was a medium-sized theropod. It walked on two legs, like many other meat-eating dinosaurs. Its body was likely light and agile, perfect for hunting. The skeletal diagram shows its known bones. The life restoration image helps us imagine what it might have looked like when it was alive. It had a long tail for balance and strong hind legs.
Images for kids
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Life restoration of Chuandongocoelurus primitivus
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Size comparison of Chuandongocoelurus to a human
