New Deep-Snouted Tyrannosaur Species Discovered in China

Asiatyrannus xui, unearthed at a construction site, reveals unique adaptations and migratory history.

The fossils were found in 2017 in Ganzhou City and date to the Late Cretaceous epoch, approximately 66-72 million years ago.
Asiatyrannus xui is a smaller tyrannosaur, estimated to be about 13 feet long, half the size of its relative Qianzhousaurus.
Distinctive features include a deeper snout and longer premaxilla, differing from other known tyrannosaurs.
The discovery supports theories of later tyrannosaurid migration to southeastern China from Laramidia, now part of North America.
Named after paleontologist Xu Xing, A. xui fills an ecological niche between large tyrannosaurs and smaller oviraptorosaurs.