Dilong (dinosaur) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids DilongTemporal range: Lower Cretaceous
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Dilong
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Dilong paradoxus Type species |
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Dilong (which means 'emperor dragon') was a small meat-eating dinosaur. It belonged to a group of dinosaurs called tyrannosaurs. The only known type of Dilong is called Dilong paradoxus.
This dinosaur lived about 130 million years ago. This time period is known as the Lower Cretaceous period. Its fossils were found near Lujiatun, in the western Liaoning province of China.
What Did Dilong Look Like?
Dilong was a small dinosaur. It was special because it had a covering of simple feathers. These feathers were found as impressions in the fossilized skin near its jaw and tail.
Dilong's Feathers
These feathers were not like the feathers of modern birds. They did not have a strong central shaft. Scientists believe these early feathers helped Dilong stay warm. They were not strong enough for flying.
Scales vs. Feathers
Interestingly, larger tyrannosaurs found in places like Alberta and Mongolia had different skin. Their skin impressions show small, bumpy scales. This is typical of many other dinosaurs. This suggests that some tyrannosaurs might have lost their feathers as they grew bigger.
Images for kids
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A fossil of Dilong, called the holotype specimen
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What Dilong might have looked like when it was alive
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A copy of the Dilong skull fossil
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A fossil specimen at the National Museum of Natural Science
See also
In Spanish: Dilong paradoxus para niños
