What makes Sinraptor scientifically significant?

Sinraptor provides critical insights into the evolutionary radiation of Theropoda. Holotypes and fossil evidence indicate: Nearly complete skeleton with intact skull, cervical vertebrae, and pelvic girdle.

Sinraptor (Sinraptor dongi Currie & Zhao, 1993) - Size, Diet & Jurassic Period Facts

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Evolutionary Taxonomy & Cladistics

View Dinosaur Phylogeny

Phylogenetic classification of Sinraptor dongi Currie & Zhao, 1993 based on peer-reviewed cladistic analyses of diagnostic skeletal synapomorphies.

Taxonomic Rank	Taxon / Clade	Diagnostic Context
Kingdom	Animalia	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Phylum	Chordata	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Clade	Dinosauria	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Order	Saurischia (Lizard-Hipped Dinosaurs)	Characterized ancestrally by a triradiate pelvis with an anteriorly pointing pubis.
Suborder	Theropoda	Bipedal saurischian dinosaurs, historically dominated by carnivores and including the avian lineage.
Genus	Sinraptor	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Species	Sinraptor dongi Currie & Zhao, 1993	Specific authority designation

Anatomy & Physical Characteristics

Despite its name, Sinraptor was not a dromaeosaurid 'raptor' but a magnificent 7.5-meter allosauroid closely related to Metriacanthosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus. Inhabiting the lush Shishugou forests, it possessed large eyes, an arched skull, and lightened vertebrae.

Trace fossils and pathologies on Sinraptor bones demonstrate aggressive interspecific face-biting with rival carnivores.

Diagnostic Morphological Traits

Deep, aerodynamic skull with large antorbital fenestrae, elongate limbs, and blade-like teeth.

Comparative Scale & Biometrics

Anatomical dimensions relative to an average adult human (1.8 m / 6 ft tall)

Approx. 4.2× human length

Sinraptor (Length)7–7.6 m (23.0–24.9 ft)

Adult Human1.8 m (6.0 ft)

Length

7–7.6 m (23.0–24.9 ft)

Height

2.2–2.5 m (7.2–8.2 ft)

Estimated Mass

1.0–1.4 metric tons (2,205–3,086 lbs)

Diet & Feeding Ecology

All Carnivore Species

Trophic Guild: Carnivore

Preyed upon contemporary sauropods (Mamenchisaurus juveniles) and stegosaurs (Tuojiangosaurus).

Paleobiology & Behavior

Apex allosauroid predator that hunted large sauropods and ornithischians in Late Jurassic East Asia. Excavated from the Shishugou Formation of Xinjiang, Sinraptor was contemporary with crested theropods like Monolophosaurus and closely allied with European allosauroids like Metriacanthosaurus.

Habitat & Ecological Biome

Prehistoric Depositional Setting

Wetland margins, seasonal floodplains, and dense gymnosperm woodlands.

Fossil Evidence & Specimen Records

Preserved Skeletal Material & Bonebeds

Nearly complete skeleton with intact skull, cervical vertebrae, and pelvic girdle.

Discovery & Taxonomic Naming History

Year of Discovery / Description1987

Type Specimen Locality & FormationShishugou Formation, Xinjiang, China

Found by Philip Currie and Dong Zhiming during the joint Sino-Canadian Dinosaur Project.

Geological Era & Chronostratigraphy

Explore All Jurassic Period Fauna

Jurassic Period PeriodTemporal Interval: 161–157 Ma (million years ago)

Marked by lush greenhouse climates, the breakup of Pangaea, and the evolutionary explosion of sauropods, plated stegosaurs, and apex megalosauroid and allosauroid theropods.

Where It Lived & Paleoenvironment

Asia Dinosaurs

During the Mesozoic Era, continental drift progressively reconfigured land bridges, atmospheric currents, and regional precipitation regimes. Fossils of Sinraptor evidence its adaptation to the paleoenvironments of Asia.

Paleogeographic RealmAsia (Asia)

Renowned for the exceptionally preserved feathered dinosaurs of Liaoning, China and the Cretaceous dune habitats of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.

Fossil Discovery Locality

Scientific Significance & Evolutionary Impact

The anatomical architecture of Sinraptor serves as a crucial benchmark in vertebrate paleontology, illustrating key adaptive radiations within Theropoda.

Phylogenetic Placement: Informs cladistic debates concerning the divergence, skull biomechanics, and skeletal evolution of Jurassic Period fauna.
Paleoecological Guild: Documents trophic specialization (Carnivore) and predator-prey dynamics across its regional ecosystem.
Taphonomic Record: Nearly complete skeleton with intact skull, cervical vertebrae, and pelvic girdle.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sinraptor

Scientifically verified answers based on peer-reviewed paleontological evidence.

Q1.When did Sinraptor live?

Sinraptor lived during the Jurassic Period Period, approximately 161–157 Ma (million years ago). This places it within the Mesozoic Era.

Q2.How big was Sinraptor?

Paleontological estimates place Sinraptor at a length of 7–7.6 m (23.0–24.9 ft), a hip/standing height of 2.2–2.5 m (7.2–8.2 ft), and a body mass of 1.0–1.4 metric tons (2,205–3,086 lbs).

Q3.What was the diet of Sinraptor?

Classified as a carnivore, Sinraptor specialized in consuming Preyed upon contemporary sauropods (Mamenchisaurus juveniles) and stegosaurs (Tuojiangosaurus)..

Q4.Where were Sinraptor fossils discovered?

Fossil specimens of Sinraptor have been recovered from Shishugou Formation, Xinjiang, China, with notable historic specimens documented in 1987. Found by Philip Currie and Dong Zhiming during the joint Sino-Canadian Dinosaur Project.

Academic Literature & Peer-Reviewed References

Authoritative citations establishing the factual taxonomy, biometrics, and anatomy of Sinraptor.

Canadian Journal of Earth SciencesView Publication
Currie, P. J., & Zhao, X.-J. (1993). A new carnosaur (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Jurassic of Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 30(10), 2037-2081. https://doi.org/10.1139/e93-179
Curated & Verified: 2026-09-24

Sinraptor

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