Zhenyuanlong suni

† Zhenyuanlong suni is an Early Cretaceous dromaeosaurid from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China, preserving extremely well-developed wing feathers in a large-bodied non-flying individual. Its large pennaceous wing feathers challenge models of wing function in flightless dinosaurs.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Zhenyuanlong suni 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

Cretaceous Early Mesozoic Era

Zhenyuanlong suni lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145.0 to 100.5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.