Tianyulong — artistic reconstruction

Jurassic

Tianyulong

Tianyulong confuciusi

The catalogue presents Tianyulong as a herbivore member of Heterodontosauridae that lived during the Jurassic, between 160.9–160.3 Ma. Its estimated range is 0.7 m in length and 0.5 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Tiaojishan Formation, Jianchang, Liaoning, China. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.

Herbivore160.9–160.3 MaHeterodontosauridae

Evidence-backed summary

For Tianyulong, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Zheng et al. (2009).

The PBDB places it in Heterodontosauridae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Heterodontosauridae.

In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Bathonian to the Kimmeridgian.

The PBDB catalogues 1 occurrence, with material from the Tiaojishan Formation (1). Provenance: China.

The catalogue records the holotype as STMN 26-3 and the type locality as “Tiaojishan Formation, Jianchang, Liaoning, China”.

  • STMN 26-3
  • Tiaojishan Formation, Jianchang, Liaoning, China

The catalogue's reference measurements are 0.7 m in length and 0.5 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.

  • 0.7 m
  • 0.5 kg

The record gathers 8 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.

Records compiled on 2026-08-08

Where it lived

Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.

Present-day map1 PBDB
Tiaojishan
PBDB occurrences
Map at the time · ~160 Ma1 PBDB
Tiaojishan
PBDB occurrences
Present mean latitude40.9° N
Reconstructed mean latitude50.0° N

Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.

Paleobiology Database · GPlates · CC BY 4.0

Artistic 3D reconstruction

There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.

Physical Specifications

Length
0.7 m
Weight
0.5 kg
Period
Jurassic
Time range
160.9–160.3 Ma

Discovery Information

First Discovery
2009
Described by
Zheng Xiaoting

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Ornithischia
Family
Heterodontosauridae
Genus
Tianyulong
Species
T. confuciusi

Paleobiology Database · txn:143495

Data status

Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.

Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.

Type specimen
STMN 26-3
Type locality
Tiaojishan Formation, Jianchang, Liaoning, China