Name:
Siamotyrannus (Greek for "Siamese tyrant"); pronounced SIGH-ah-mo-tih-RAN-us
Habitat:
Woodlands of southeast Asia
Historical Period:
Early-Middle Cretaceous (125-100 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 20 feet long and 1,000-2,000 pounds
Diet:
Meat
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Large size; small arms; bipedal posture
About Siamotyrannus:
You might assume from its name that Siamotyrannus was an Asian contemporary, and close relative, of Tyrannosaurus Rex, but the fact is that this large theropod lived tens of millions of years before its more famous namesake--and is considered by most paleontologists to be a carnosaur rather than a true tyrannosaur. One of the few dinosaurs of any kind to be unearthed in modern-day Thailand, Siamotyrannus will have to be supported by more fossil discoveries before it takes up more than a footnote in the official theropod record books!
