Asiatyrannus xui Asiatyrannus

Asiatyrannus (meaning “Asian tyrant”) is an extinct genus of tyrannosaurine theropod dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of China. The genus contains a single species, Asiatyrannus xui, known from a single specimen consisting of a skull and partial skeleton. Asiatyrannus is notable for its deep-snouted skull and small body size, in contrast to the gracile snout and larger size of the contemporary Qianzhousaurus. It represents the southernmost record of an Asian tyrannosaurid. Some researchers have questioned the validity of Asiatyrannus, suggesting that its small size is due to its immaturity and that this specimen may represent a young individual of the better-known Tarbosaurus.