Xinjiangovenator is a genus of dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, which was a long time ago. This period is known to have taken place between the Valanginian and Albian stages, roughly around 145 to 100 million years ago.
The name Xinjiangovenator means “Xinjiang hunter.” It belongs to a group of dinosaurs called coelurosaurs, which are known for their bird-like features.
**Discovery**
The remains of Xinjiangovenator were found in the Lianmuqin Formation located in Wuerho, Xinjiang, China. The first description of this dinosaur was provided by a scientist named Dong Zhiming in 1973. Xinjiangovenator is based on a single specimen, which includes parts of its right lower leg. This specimen consists of the tibia (a shin bone), several pieces of the fibula (another bone in the lower leg), and a couple of ankle bones. This specific specimen is known as the holotype.
At first, the bones were thought to belong to another dinosaur called Phaedrolosaurus, but it was found that Phaedrolosaurus was based only on a tooth, which is not enough for a proper classification. In 2005, scientists Oliver Rauhut and Xu Xing gave Xinjiangovenator its own name. The specific species is called Xinjiangovenator parvus. The name “parvus” means “small” in Latin.
The length of the lower leg bones measures about 12.3 inches. Estimates suggest that Xinjiangovenator was around 10 feet long and might have weighed about 154 pounds.
**Classification**
Rauhut and Xu (2005) placed Xinjiangovenator within a specific subgroup of coelurosaurs called Maniraptora. This means it is believed to be closely related to other dinosaurs that are more like birds, such as dromaeosaurids. The researchers found certain unique traits that help classify Xinjiangovenator, such as specific shapes of its leg bones.
In 2010, another group of scientists looked at Xinjiangovenator and placed it in a different position in the family tree of dinosaurs due to its incomplete bones. Some studies suggested it might be closely related to a dinosaur called Ornitholestes because of similarities in its leg bones.
In summary, Xinjiangovenator is an interesting dinosaur from a long-ago time. It shows connections to both the birds we know today and other ancient dinosaurs.