Yutyrannus

The discovery of Yutyrannus changed how paleontologists thought about large tyrannosaurs. Feathers in this carnivorous relative of T. rexsuggested that other large tyrannosaurs may have had them, too. Yutyrannus hunted during the early Cretaceous in China, around 125 million years ago, and was the top predator in its environment.

History: Three specimens of Yutyrannus huali are known, including an almost complete articulated skeleton of an adult. The name Yutyrannus stems from ‘yu’, the Mandarin word for feathers, and ‘tyrannus’, the Latin for tyrant - this name reflects the presence of feathers preserved alongside the bones, and the close kinship of Yutyrannus to other tyrannosaurs.

Scientific Name: Yutyrannus huali

Characteristics: As our Yutyrannus toy shows, this dinosaur was a two-legged carnivore with short arms and a large head. It had sharp curved teeth, a low crest running along the top of its skull, and a long counterbalancing tail. It had large hands with three fingers and large claws. Its body was covered with shaggy filamentous feathers. It grew up to 30 feet long, the size of a minibus.

Size: This Yutyrannus toy figure is 8.25 inches long and 3 inches high.