Yutyrannus

dinosaur · feathered · China · Cretaceous

Feathered giant. Yutyrannus was one of the largest dinosaurs ever found with actual preserved feathers on its fossils. Scientists discovered three complete Yutyrannus skeletons in Liaoning Province in northeastern China.

Ancient hunter. This dinosaur lived during the early Cretaceous period, millions of years before the famous T-rex roamed Earth. Yutyrannus was part of a family of tyrannosauroids that came before the mightier Tyrannosaurus.

Fuzzy coat. Unlike most giant dinosaurs, Yutyrannus was covered in feathers, making it look more like a scaly bird than a typical movie dinosaur. Scientists think these feathers might have helped it stay warm or look impressive to other dinosaurs.

Cretaceous world. During Yutyrannus's time, northeastern China had forests and rivers where this feathered predator hunted smaller dinosaurs and animals. The volcanic rocks that preserved its fossils have given scientists incredible details about what these dinosaurs actually looked like.