| Diet | Carnivore |
| Height | 0.5m |
| Length | 1.6m |
| Weight | 4 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | China |
Dilong was a small theropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 125 million years ago in what is now northeastern China. This remarkable creature has revolutionised our understanding of tyrannosaur evolution, as it represents one of the earliest known members of the tyrannosaur family tree.
Standing about 50 centimetres tall at the hip and measuring roughly 1.6 metres in length, Dilong was roughly the size of a large dog. What makes this theropod truly extraordinary is its primitive feathers - making it the first tyrannosaur discovered with direct evidence of feather-like structures. These simple, hair-like feathers likely provided insulation rather than flight capability.
As a carnivore, Dilong hunted small prey including early mammals, smaller dinosaurs, and possibly fish. Its long, narrow skull housed sharp teeth perfectly suited for grasping and tearing flesh. Unlike its massive descendants such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Dilong had relatively long arms with functional hands ending in sharp claws.
The discovery of Dilong in China's fossil-rich Yixian Formation provided crucial evidence that the mighty tyrannosaurs evolved from much smaller, feathered ancestors. This theropod lived in a lush, lake-filled environment alongside early birds, other feathered dinosaurs, and primitive mammals.
Dilong possessed simple, hair-like feathers covering parts of its body, making it the first tyrannosaur known to have feather-like structures. It had a long, narrow skull with sharp teeth, relatively long arms with functional claws, and a slender build typical of early tyrannosaurs.
Dilong was likely an active predator that hunted small prey using its speed and agility. Its feathers suggest it may have been warm-blooded or at least capable of regulating its body temperature better than typical reptiles. Evidence suggests it may have been social, possibly hunting in small groups.
Dilong has appeared in several documentaries about feathered dinosaurs and tyrannosaur evolution, helping to popularise the concept of feathered prehistoric predators.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Saurischia |
| Order | Avetheropoda |
| Genus | Dilong |
Dilong was first described by Xu Xing and team in 2004. The original fossils were discovered at Yixian Formation, Liaoning Province, China.
