upper extension of the maxilla, and the lack of a vertical ridge-like structure on the lateral surface of the ilium. Unlike more "traditional" tyrannosaurids, which had prominent deep-set jaws and thick teeth, Qianzhousaurus had a particularly elongated snout, with (when restored) narrow teeth. The holotype specimen is notably larger and more mature than the holotypes of both species of Alioramus; however, given that some sutures between the cervical and dorsal vertebrae are partially fused, the holotype was an immature animal, likely a sub-adult. Qianzhousaurus was a long-legged animal with a long femur and long tibia. Classification The discovery of Qianzhousaurus led to a new branch of the tyrannosaur family being named, consisting of the long-snouted Q. sinensis and the two known species of Alioramus. This clade, named the tribe Alioramini, had an uncertain placement relative to other members of the tyrannosaur branch in the initial analysis that discovered it. The primary phylogenetic analysis found Alioramini to be closer to Tyrannosaurus than to Albertosaurus, and therefore a member of the group Tyrannosaurinae. However, a second analysis in the same paper found it to be located outside of the clade including Albertosaurinae and Tyrannosaurinae, and therefore the sister group of Tyrannosauridae. Below is the first analysis found by the authors: Thomas D. Carr with colleagues in 2017 regarded Qianzhousaurus as a junior synonym of Alioramus based on the reasoning that they were recovered as sister species in their phylogenetic analysis. Despite their argument, they indicated that this synonymy does not necessarily constitute a taxonomic reevaluation of the Alioramini. However, Foster and his colleagues in 2022 conducted a detailed redescription of the holotype skull of Qianzhousaurus, finding several traits unique to this genus, hence supporting the separation of Alioramus and Qianzhousaurus. Paleobiology Ontogeny A 2022 study of the three known species of the two known alioramin genera, Qianzhousaurus, Alioramus (A. altai and A. remotus) respectively, suggests that the variation seen between the various species is consistent with the growth trends seen in other tyrannosaurid genera, though specimens that could constitute a full growth series from infant to adult for each species have not been recovered for any of these theropods. Of these, Qianzhousaurus represents the largest and most mature animal found within Alioramini thus far and represents the adult level of maturity. One part of the growth series across all specimens in this study was discovered to remain unique to alioramin tyrannosaurs; the