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Huadanosaurus

Last updated May 14, 2025
Genus of theropod dinosaurs

Huadanosaurus
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous (Barremian), 125  Ma
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Huadanosaurus (holotype, IVPP V 14202).png
Photograph (a) and line drawing (b) of the holotype specimen
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Family:† Sinosauropterygidae
Genus:† Huadanosaurus
Qiu et al., 2025
Species:
†H. sinensis
Binomial name
†Huadanosaurus sinensis
Qiu et al., 2025

Huadanosaurus is an extinct genus of compsognathid-like theropod dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China. The genus contains a single species, H. sinensis, known from a nearly complete skeleton preserving feather-like structures.

Contents

  • Discovery and naming
  • Description
  • Colouration
  • Classification
  • Paleobiology
  • References

Discovery and naming

The Huadanosaurus holotype specimen, IVPP V14202, was discovered in outcrops of the Yixian Formation (Dawangzhangzi bed) in Lingyuan of Liaoning Province, China. The specimen consists of a nearly complete skeleton preserved on a slab, missing the feet and the end of the tail. [1] Filamentous integument is preserved around the tail. Prior to its description, the specimen was attributed to the related genus Sinosauropteryx . [2]

In 2025, Qiu et al. described Huadanosaurus sinensis as a new genus and species of sinosauropterygid theropods based on these fossil remains. The generic name, Huadanosaurus, combines "Huadan"—a Chinese word referring to the birthday of a great person or institution—with the Ancient Greek σαῦρος (sauros), meaning "lizard". This honors the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CASAD). The specific name, sinensis, is derived from the Latin word sina , which refers to China. [1]

Description

Huadanosaurus (skull and neck reconstruction).png
Reconstruction of the head and neck
Huadanosaurus (holotype details).png
Details of the holotype

Qiu et al. (2025) identified the Huadanosaurus holotype as belonging to a probable immature individual based on the unfused vertebral neurocentral sutures and scarred bone surfaces. Furthermore, its skull, measuring 10.1 cm (4.0 in) long, is fairly large in relation to the rest of the body. [1] The holotype individual is around 1 metre (3.3 ft) long. [3]

Compared to other compsognathid-like theropods, the Huadanosaurus holotype preserves several anatomical characteristics of the skull, teeth, and ilium that are similar to tyrannosauroids. Some of these may suggest that Huadanosaurus had a stronger bite force than its relatives. For example, there is a prominent surangular shelf on the lower jaw, indicating a strong adductor muscle for closing the jaws. The generally deep skull and mandible, as well as the fused nasal , are all adaptations towards resisting high levels of biting stress. However, Qiu et al. interpret these features as convergent with the tyrannosauroid lineage, rather than indicative of a placement within that clade. [1]

A later comment by paleontologist Christophe Hendrickx suggested additional careful research on Huadanosaurus and other Jehol 'compsognathids' may support their reidentification as juvenile forms of larger contemporary tyrannosauroids known from mature specimens, such as Yutyrannus and Sinotyrannus . [3]

Colouration

Speculative life restoration based on preserved melanosomes and color patterns of Sinosauropteryx specimens Huadanosaurus sinensis.png
Speculative life restoration based on preserved melanosomes and color patterns of Sinosauropteryx specimens

In 2010, Fucheng Zhang and colleagues examined the fossilized feathers of several dinosaurs and early birds. They found evidence that the specimens preserved melanosomes, a type of cell organelle that stores biological pigments and give the feathers of modern birds their colour. The researchers further compared the observed melanosome structures to those of modern birds to determine a general range of colour. Among the specimens studied was the Huadanosaurus holotype (then provisionally referred to Sinosauropteryx). They observed the presence of spherical phaeomelanosomes in this specimen, which can be correlated with chestnut to rufous color tones, suggesting that at least parts of the animal were covered in reddish-brown feather-like filaments. [2]

Classification

Huadanosaurus is similar to several dinosaurs historically called the Compsognathidae. However, a 2024 analysis by Andrea Cau proposed that these taxa did not form a natural monophyletic clade and that some are juveniles of larger tetanurans. [4] To test this hypothesis, Qiu et al. (2025) scored Huadanosaurus in Cau's "Ontogenetic State Partitioning" (OSP) phylogenetic matrix and the more traditional "Theropod Working Group" (TWiG) matrix. [5] Both phylogenetic analyses found support for a natural group of all Jehol Biota (Early Cretaceous) compsognathid-like theropods ( Sinosauropteryx spp., Huaxiagnathus , and Sinocalliopteryx ) as well as the Brazilian Mirischia . Using the OSP matrix, Huadanosaurus was recovered as the sister taxon to Mirischia and Sinocalliopteryx. Since Compsognathus was recovered outside of this group, Qiu et al. opted to use the name Sinosauropterygidae for this group. These results are displayed in Topology A below. Using the TWiG matrix, Huadanosaurus was found to be the sister to the group formed by Compsognathus and Sinosauropteryx spp., as shown in Topology B below. [1]

Topology A: OSP dataset [4]
Coelurosauria
Sinosauropterygidae

Sinosauropteryx lingyuanensis

Sinosauropteryx prima

Huaxiagnathus orientalis

Huadanosaurus sinensis

Mirischia asymmetrica

Sinocalliopteryx gigas

Tyrannosauroidea

Maniraptora

Topology B: TWiG dataset [5]
Coelurosauria

Zuolong

Tyrannosauroidea

Tugulusaurus

Sinosauropterygidae

Mirischia asymmetrica

Huaxiagnathus orientalis

Sinocalliopteryx gigas

Juravenator starki

Huadanosaurus sinensis

Compsognathus longipes

Sinosauropteryx lingyuanensis

Sinosauropteryx prima

Ornithomimosauria

Maniraptora

Paleobiology

Several fragments of mammal bones, including eutherians and eutriconodonts, were found in the abdominal cavity region of Huadanosaurus. Based on the disarticulated but associated, well-preserved condition of the mammal remains, the individuals were likely swallowed whole. This further implies that Huadanosaurus individuals were incapable of firmly grasping with their hands to tear or bite prey items. Most Mesozoic mammals were likely nocturnal, suggesting Huadanosaurus was as well. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Qiu, Rui; Wang, Xiaolin; Jiang, Shunxing; Meng, Jin; Zhou, Zhonghe (2025-02-22). "Two new compsognathid-like theropods show diversified predation strategies in theropod dinosaurs". National Science Review. 12 (5): nwaf068. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwaf068 . ISSN   2095-5138. PMC   11970238 . PMID   40191255.
  2. 1 2 Zhang, F.; Kearns, S.L.; Orr, P.J.; Benton, M.J.; Zhou, Z.; Johnson, D.; Xu, X.; Wang, X. (2010). "Fossilized melanosomes and the colour of Cretaceous dinosaurs and birds" (PDF). Nature. 463 (7284): 1075–1078. Bibcode:2010Natur.463.1075Z. doi:10.1038/nature08740. PMID   20107440. S2CID   205219587.
  3. 1 2 Hendrickx, Christophe (2025-04-02). "Comment on "Two new compsognathid-like theropods show diversified predation strategies of theropod dinosaurs" by Qiu et al". National Science Review . 12 (5). doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwaf131 . ISSN   2095-5138. PMID   40336594.
  4. 1 2 Cau, Andrea (2024). "A Unified Framework for Predatory Dinosaur Macroevolution" (PDF). Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana. 63 (1): 1–19. doi:10.4435/BSPI.2024.08 (inactive 2025-02-24). ISSN   0375-7633.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of February 2025 (link)
  5. 1 2 Brusatte, Stephen L.; Lloyd, Graeme T.; Wang, Steve C.; Norell, Mark A. (2014-10-20). "Gradual Assembly of Avian Body Plan Culminated in Rapid Rates of Evolution across the Dinosaur-Bird Transition". Current Biology . 24 (20): 2386–2392. Bibcode:2014CBio...24.2386B. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.08.034. PMID   25264248.
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Maniraptoromorpha
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Sinosauropterygidae?
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Ornithomimosauria
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Macrocheiriformes
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Maniraptora
    • see Maniraptora
    • includes birds
Sinosauropteryx color (without scale bar).jpg

Deinocheirus NT.png

Qiupalong Restoration.png
Taxon identifiers
Huadanosaurus
  • Wikidata: Q132734216
  • ZooBank: 9AC095B9-CC01-43C7-8470-B29D14A72E9B
Huadanosaurus sinensis
  • Wikidata: Q132734217
  • ZooBank: BCB3196D-3204-47E2-8681-38D4CAE9BA9A
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