News Paleontology

Ancestor of Kings: Early progenitor of T. rex had a crest

By Sid Perkins

- More than 2 years ago

Paleontologists have unearthed remains of the oldest known dinosaur of the tyrannosaur clan. About 160 million years ago, the agile, 3-meter-long predator roamed what is now northwestern China. Its fossils bolster a recent theory about the evolutionary origins of the fearsome meat eaters that appeared later.

JUST FOR SHOW? Guanlong wucaii, the oldest known species in the tyrannosaur lineage, sported a 6-centimeter-tall crest that ran along the top of its snout.