Named By: | J. Lu, L. Xu, Y. Liu, X. Zhang, S. Jia, & Q. Ji. 2010 |
Time Period: | Late Cretaceous, 86 Ma |
Location: | China, Henan Province, Xixia County - Majiacun Formation |
Size: | Unknown due to lack of remains |
Diet: | Carnivore |
Fossil(s): | Partial skull and partial post cranial remains |
Classification: | | Chordata | Reptilia | Dinosauria | Saurischia | Theropoda | Deinonychosauria | Troodontidae | |
Xixiasaurus is a genus of extinct troodontid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of modern-day China. It was first described as a new taxon in 2010. The type species is X. henanensis. Fossils of Xixiasaurus were discovered in central China, in the Majiacun Formation of Henan, and are believed to have been from the Late Cretaceous (Santonian-Coniacian age, about 86 million years ago). The fossils were described by a team of Chinese scientists composed of a group from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences in Beijing and a second group from the Henan Geological Museum in Henan. They chose the name Xixiasaurus henanensis, translating as "Henan Xixia lizard".