Xunmenglong is a genus of dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, about 130.7 million years ago.
The name “Xunmenglong” means “swift fierce dragon” in Chinese, reflecting its speed and fearsome nature. It belongs to a group of dinosaurs called Compsognathidae.
The only known species of Xunmenglong is called Xunmenglong yinliangis. Fossils of this dinosaur have been found in the Huajiying Formation located in Hebei Province, China.
The remains discovered include parts of its pelvis, tail, and hind limbs. Interestingly, these pieces once came from a mix of different animals, which can make studying them a bit tricky.
Xunmenglong is considered to be the smallest member of the Compsognathidae family. It measured about 0.5 meters, which is around 1.6 feet long. That’s about the size of a small dog or a kitten!
In research, Xunmenglong has been grouped with other dinosaurs like Compsognathus and Huaxiagnathus. However, recent studies suggest it might not fit into that group but could be a more primitive, or “basal,” member of Tetanurae, which is another larger category of theropod dinosaurs.
Overall, Xunmenglong gives us an exciting glimpse into the diversity of dinosaurs that existed millions of years ago!