Aorun zhaoi

†Aorun zhaoi was a small ceratosaur theropod carnivore of the Middle Jurassic, discovered in the Shishugou Formation of Xinjiang, China. Estimated at roughly 1m in length, it was an early and relatively small predator sharing its habitat with the giant sauropod Mamenchisaurus. Named after a dragon from Chinese mythology, it contributes to understanding mid-Jurassic Asian theropod diversity.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Aorun zhaoi was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Jurassic Middle Mesozoic Era

Aorun zhaoi lived during the Jurassic Middle period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 174,7 to 161,5 million years ago.

Dinosaur diversity continued to increase, with the evolution of large sauropods and diverse theropods. Stegosaurs first appeared, and the supercontinent Pangaea was breaking apart.