“Chinasaurs” are Coming to Town

By | July 22nd, 2009|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page|0 Comments

Largest Touring Exhibition of Chinese Dinosaur Fossils opens at the Maryland Science Center

The Maryland Science Center, based in Baltimore (United States), is playing host to the largest touring exhibit of Chinese dinosaur fossils this Summer, providing visitors with the opportunity to get up close and personal with “Sino – Dinosaurs”.  The exhibit, which runs daily until September 7th consists of more than 20 mounted prehistoric animals, including the spectacular sauropod Mamenchisaurus with the longest neck of any dinosaur known.

Chinese Dinosaur Fossils

As well as amazing plant-eating dinosaurs there are plenty of meat-eating dinosaurs on display including the fleet-footed, Jurassic theropod Szechuanosaurus, a member of the allosaur family and one of the top predators around China in the Jurassic.  Szechuanosaurus is classified as a member of the Sinraptoridae, a group of fierce meat-eating dinosaurs with strong jaws and powerful grasping forelimbs.

An Artist’s Impression of a Typical Sinraptoridae Dinosaur

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

These animals were certainly very impressive, and some of the these fascinating prehistoric creatures have been brought to life as the exhibit also features a number of animatronic models.  As well as marvelling at the wonderful fossils, visitors will also be given the chance to see how palaeontologists interpret the fossil record and recreate dinosaurs with the wonderful robotic animals on display.

A Model of a Sinraptor (PNSO Dinosaur Models)

PNSO Xinchuan the Sinraptor figure.

Sinraptor dongi was formally named and described in 1994. The species name is in honour of the eminent Professor Dong Zhiming, one of China’s most celebrated palaeontologists.

To view the PNSO Sinraptor model and other PNSO prehistoric animal figures: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models and Figures.

Chinasaurs: Dinosaur Dynasty is open daily at the Maryland Science Center, for further information visit the Maryland Science Center website.