Species
Dalinghosaurus longidigitus
Dalinghosaurus longidigitusDalinghosaurus longidigitus was an agile, slender lizard that scurried along the shores and forest floors of Early Cretaceous lakes. Its remarkably elongated hind feet and slender toes suggest it was a swift runner, potentially capable of bipedal sprints to escape predators. Skeletons have even been found preserved inside the abdominal cavities of predatory compsognathid dinosaurs, offering direct evidence of ancient food webs.
PrehistoricFossilReptile
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyInsects, Arachnids, Small larvae
Predators
- Sinocalliopteryx gigas
- Microraptor zhaoianus
- Early avians
ThreatsExtinct; preyed upon by theropods and vulnerable to volcanic ashfalls
HabitatsTemperate volcanic lake basins and forested margins
Life span5–15 years (estimated)
Classification
- FamilyCarusiidae
- GenusDalinghosaurus
- SpeciesDalinghosaurus longidigitus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species known only from Early Cretaceous fossils.
Responsible observation
- Fossil Identification: Look for disproportionately long phalanges on the hind limbs and a slender, elongated tail.
- Museum Exhibits: Search paleontology collections featuring articulated Jehol Biota specimens from Liaoning, China.
Predator Lida Xing, Phil R. Bell, W. Scott Persons IV, Shuan Ji, Tetsuto Miyashita, Michael E. Burns, Qiang Ji, Philip J. Currie / CC BY 2.5 · cc-by
Neighbor Jonathan Chen / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Predator David W. E. Hone, Helmut Tischlinger, Xing Xu, Fucheng Zhang / CC BY 2.5 · cc-by
Close Relative BORSUK-BIALYNICKA, M. / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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