Wulong

dancing dragon

• wu · Chinese · dance
• long · Chinese · dragon

Wulong comes from Chinese words meaning "dance" (wǔ) and "dragon" (lóng), giving "dancing dragon". The name refers to the lively, dance-like pose of the preserved skeleton, and perhaps to the animal's small size and feathery appearance. The type species is Wulong bohaiensis.

Named by

Poust et al.

Year named

2020

Period

Early Cretaceous

Found in

Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China

A small, feathered microraptorine dromaeosaurid theropod from the Jehol Biota. The holotype appears to be a juvenile. The exact etymological wording and stage are not stated here because I am not fully certain of them.