Fun Aletopelta Facts For Kids

A herbivore dinosaur that belongs to the Ornithischia order and the Ankylosauria suborder, the Aletopelta coombsi was named by T.L. Ford and James Kirkland. The species belonged to the Late Cretaceous or Upper Campanian period that spanned from 100.5 to 66 million years ago. It inhabited areas of what is now southern California and Mexico. For his exceptional work and years of research, the species was named in honor of Walter Preston Coombs.

A single partial skeleton lacking the skull and tail that consists of thighbones, shinbones, calf bones, incomplete parts of shoulder blades, around 60 detached armor plates, incomplete armor near the pelvic girdle that is located near the hip, and eight teeth is kept at the San Diego Natural History Museum, California. The skeleton was originally found in a layer of the Late Cretaceous period from the Point Loma Formation in 2001. It is said that the carcass or remains were possibly scavenged by sharks and marine invertebrates. Average weight and length of the species are 4,409 lb (2,000 kg) and 16-20 ft (5-6 m), respectively.

The Aletopelta dinosaur was a herbivore and primarily fed on plants, but due to their delicate nature of teeth, it is said that the dinosaur preferred algae growing in water. Studies revealed that the dinosaur dwelled near the coast, but fossils were found in marine sediments, thus it can be said that the animal could have been aquatic. The Aletopelta must have foraged plants along edges of rivers and estuaries.

Let's read more fun facts about the Aletopelta, and if you find this article interesting, don't forget to check out exciting facts about different animals like the Ichthyovenator and the Ostafrikasaurus.

How do you pronounce Aletopelta?

The pronunciation of the term is not very tough and one can easily pronounce it correctly if you know the trick of dividing the word into several parts. The best way to pronounce the name is 'a-lee-to-pel-tuh.'

What type of dinosaur was an Aletopelta?

The Aletopelta coombsi belongs to the Ornithischia order and the Ankylosauria suborder, the class of Reptilia, the family of Ankylosauridae, the clade of Dinosauria, and the Aletopelta genus. For his exceptional work and years of research, the species was named in honor of Walter Preston Coombs.

In which geological period did the Aletopelta roam the earth?

The Aletopelta coombsi belonged to the Late Cretaceous or Upper Campanian period that spanned from 100.5 to 66 million years ago. The species was found in the Point Loma Formation and the partial skeleton is preserved at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

When did the Aletopelta become Extinct?

It is said that the dinosaur became Extinct about 75.5 million years ago. The cause of extinction is not known as of now but dinosaurs, in general, became Extinct due to several factors such as climate change, volcanic eruption, drought, asteroid impact, and many more.

Where did an Aletopelta live?

These armored dinosaurs inhabited areas of what is now southern California and Mexico. Also, Aletopelta coombsi fossils have been found in a few states of the United States such as Wyoming, Texas, and Kansas. Remains were first discovered in the Point Loma Formation, southern California.

What was an Aletopelta habitat?

Aletopelta fossils were found in marine sediments and according to a group of scientists, the dinosaur could have been aquatic. However, it is more likely that the dinosaur used to feed on plants and leaves along edges of rivers and estuaries, and when they died, their carcasses or remains might have been carried out to sea or marine waters. Therefore, the dinosaur was terrestrial and inhabited near the coast.

Who did an Aletopelta live with?

It is not known whether the Aletopelta dinosaur used to live in groups or not. However, since the species was a herbivore, it must have been living in groups like most modern-day herbivore animals. Also, these dinosaurs used to come together during the breeding season.

How long did an Aletopelta live?

The exact life span of these armored dinosaurs is not known as of now but big-sized dinosaurs such as the Aletopelta coombsi lived quite long. Species such as the Apatosaurus, the Brachiosaurus, the Diplodocus, the Supersaurus, and a few more had an average age of 100 years.

How did they reproduce?

There is no information regarding reproduction patterns of these Ankylosaur dinosaurs, but it is said they used similar patterns and reproduced by laying eggs. Also, their mating patterns were quite similar to modern-day reptiles and birds. These Ankylosaur dinosaurs performed various courtship displays to attract potential partners.

Research revealed that Ankylosaurs constructed nests during the breeding season by using large branches. They used to lay their eggs in nests which were sometimes preyed upon by Nykoraptors. Eggs were generally large and green with dark green spots on the shell.

What did an Aletopelta look like?

These Ankylosaurs are known for their huge build and armored appearance. They were closely related to Stegosaurs of the Nodosaurid family as they possessed bony plates and tail spikes. The body of the Ankylosaur was encased in bony dermal armor that consisted of scutes embedded in the skin. The creature moved on all four limbs. Some huge Ankylosaurs were 25 ft (7.6 m) long.

We've been unable to source an image of an Aletopelta and have used an image of an Zhongyuansaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of an Aletopelta, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected]

How many bones did an Aletopelta have?

The exact number of bones of the Ankylosaur is not known as of now, but a single partial skeleton lacking the skull and the tail that consisted of thighbones, shinbones, calf bones, incomplete parts of shoulder blades, around 60 detached armor plates, incomplete armor near the pelvic girdle that is located near the hip, and eight teeth is kept at the San Diego Natural History Museum, California. It is said that the carcass or remains were possibly scavenged by sharks and marine invertebrates.

How did they communicate?

The communication pattern of the Ankylosaur dinosaur has not been discovered yet, but it is said that the species used similar methods as modern-day animals. Tactile, visual, and auditory cues were used to communicate with fellow dinosaurs. Also, they used to attract their partners during the breeding season.

How big was an Aletopelta?

You would be amazed by looking at the big Aletopelta skeleton or remains. The average weight and length of the species are 4,409 lb (2,000 kg) and 16-20 ft (5-6 m), respectively, while the Ankylosaur dinosaur was 4 ft (1.2 m) tall. The species was one of the heaviest dinosaurs of the Late Cretaceous period. The dinosaur would have been quite heavier than the Austriadactylus and the Orkoraptor.

How fast could an Aletopelta move?

The Aletopelta speed is not known as of now.

How much did an Aletopelta weigh?

The specimen of Ankylosaur found at the Point Loma Formation weighed 4,409 lb (2,000 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names given to male and female Ankylosaur dinosaurs; people generally call them Aletopelta coombsi. The species was named in honor of Walter Preston Coombs.

What would you call a baby Aletopelta?

Like modern-day reptiles, babies of the Ankylosaur dinosaurs are known as hatchlings.

What did they eat?

The specimen was originally found near coastal areas and due to the delicate nature of teeth, it can be said that the dinosaur was a herbivore. Remains and the carcass of the specimen were preyed upon by sharks and marine invertebrates.

How aggressive were they?

There is no information regarding the social behavior of the dinosaurs, but in general, these creatures were quite territorial.

Did you know...

The Nodosaurid also belongs to the Ankylosauria suborder.

How did the Aletopelta get its name?

For his exceptional work and years of research, the species was named in honor of Walter Preston Coombs.

How many fossils of the Aletopelta have been found in California?

In 2001, a single partial skeleton was found in southern California.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other creatures from our Ludodactylus facts, or Rahonavis facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Aletopelta coloring pages.