Dinosaurs evolved around the Triassic period dating back to 243-233 million years ago and went extinct about 66 million years ago. The age of dinosaurs, or the Mesozoic Era meaning the middle life, includes Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.
While dinosaurs did not have major threats, an asteroid hit that blocked the sun and caused a rapid decrease in the temperature of the Earth is speculated to have catalyzed the extinction of dinosaurs as dinosaurs could not survive the climate change.
Dinosaurs were named by Richard Owen and the name has a Greek origin meaning 'terrible lizard'. With the classification of over 700 species under 300 genera of dinosaurs under the clade Dinosauria, they are considered ancestors to modern birds and reptiles.
One genera classified under the clade Dinosauria was the Analong discovered by Xin-Xin Ren, Toru Sekiya, Tao Wang, Zhi-Wen Yang, and Hai-Lu.
The genus of the Mamenchisaurid Sauropod inhabited China during the middle Jurassic period around 170-168 million years ago. Although the holotype of the dinosaur found in 1995 was described as the specimen of Chuanjiesaurus, it was assigned a new genus, Analong, in 2020 specifying differences between the Analong and the Chuanjiesaurus.
The generic name refers to Ana, a village in the Yunnan province in China where the holotype specimen of fossils was found.
The binomial name of the genus means 'Ana dragon', while the name of the type species means 'Ana dragon from Chuanjie'. It belongs to the clade Saurischia and the family Mamenchisauridae while the only species of the genus documented was the Analong chuanjieensis.
If the uniqueness of the Analong makes you interested in reading more about similar species, you can read about the Quaesitosaurus and the Vulcanodon.Â
Analong Interesting Facts
How do you pronounce 'Analong'?
The generic name, Analong, is pronounced as 'an-a-long'. While the specimen of Chuanjiesaurus was assigned the contemporary genus, Chuanjiesaurus, the genus was named Analong, meaning 'Ana dragon', in 2020 by Xin-Xin Ren, Toru Sekiya, Tao Wang, Zhi-Wen Yang, and Hai-Lu You. The type species under the genus was Analong chuanjieensis meaning 'Ana dragon from Chuanjie'.
What type of dinosaur was an Analong?
The classification of Analong is as a genus under the clade Dinosauria and the Saurischia among other 300 genera such as Mamenchisaurid Sauropod dinosaurs.
The dinosaur was unearthed from the Chuanjie formation in China in 1995, but the referred specimen of the Chaunjiesaurus was described as Analong in 2020 by Xin-Xin Ren, Toru Sekiya, Tao Wang, Zhi-Wen Yang, and Hai-Lu.
Thus, it was speculated to be closely related to the Chaunjiesaurus.
In which geological period did the Analong roam the Earth?
An Analong fossil was uncovered from the Chuanjie formation in China in 1997 and it is thought that the Analong lived during the middle Jurassic period around 170-168 million years ago.
When did the Analong become Extinct?
The Analong, a Mamenchisaurid Sauropod from China, dates back to the middle Jurassic period but does not have an estimated period of extinction. While dinosaurs faced extinction 66 million years ago, there are several speculations justifying what caused the age of dinosaurs to end.
Climate change, habitat loss, predators, or natural calamities are considered primary causes catalyzing the extinction of animals.
Where did an Analong live?
The specimen of Chuanjiesaurus was collected from the Chuanjie formation, Lufeng County in the Yunnan province, China and was later described to be fossils of an Analong in 2020. Fossil remains reveal that the Analong inhabited China.
What was an Analong's habitat?
Not much can be deciphered from fossil remains of these animals. The habitat of the dinosaur was assumed to be wet-dry woodlands, forests, semi-arid deserts, and areas with plentiful vegetation around the world. Although the Analong was known to reside around China, the favorable habitat of the dinosaur remains questionable.
Who did an Analong live with?
This species of animals either led a solitary life or lived in pairs, trios, or groups. Often a dinosaur was known to live in groups but in the case of an Analong, the behavior of the dinosaur is poorly studied.
How long did an Analong live?
Although a dinosaur was reported to live around 70-80 years, Mamenchisaurid Sauropods of China do not have an estimated life span.
How did they reproduce?
Since the Analong chuanjieensis dinosaur from the genus Analong is poorly studied, the reproductive behavior of the dinosaur remains unknown. On the other hand, a dinosaur, in general, was an oviparous animal that laid eggs to reproduce.
It laid amniotic eggs in a nest. The nest was speculated to be a cup, dome, plate, bed, scrape, mound, or burrow depending on the situation.
While the female was known to lay eggs, she also grew a bone rich in calcium when laying eggs. The medullary bone was used to make eggshells. The bone also helps paleontologists to decipher the sex of the dinosaur by studying these fossils.
Although the brooding position may differ, the female was reported to use an insulating layer of feathers to keep eggs warm until they hatched. Sauropods were considered precocial or superprecocial animals as young ones were relatively mature at birth.
Analong Fun Facts
What did an Analong look like?
The holotype of the Analong was formerly referred to as the specimen of Chuanjiesaurus. Fossils were found in 1995 from the Chuanjie Formation, China but were described and named the Analong in 2020 by Xin-Xin Ren, Toru Sekiya, Tao Wang, Zhi-Wen, and Hai-Lu.
The genus Analong with the type species Analong chuanjieensis is poorly studied. The study of fossils failed to provide a description of the Analong chuanjieensis found during the early and middle Jurassic epochs.
While it was closely related to the Chuanjiesaurus, it was a quadruped with a long neck. Also, it had a scaly body.
We've been unable to source an image of an Analong and have used an image of a Brachiosaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of an Analong, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.
How many bones did an Analong have?
Fossils of the Analong from the family Mamenchisauridae living during the early and middle Jurassic epochs were uncovered from the Chuanjie formation in China in 1995 and were named Analong ('Ana dragon') by Xin-Xin Ren, Toru Sekiya, Tao Wang, Zhi-Wen, and Hai-Lu in 2020. Yet, it is poorly studied and the number of bones remains a mystery.
How did they communicate?
Prehistoric animals from the clade Dinosauria were speculated to communicate vocally and visually. Also, they communicated using various gestures and movements.
They used various techniques to communicate like hissing, clapping jaws together, hooting, making cracking sounds, or other gestures and movements. The behavior of the Analong chuanjieensis from the family Mamenchisauridae living during the middle Jurassic period is yet not known.
How big was an Analong?
Around the world, the Argentinosaurus was known to have a length of around 130 ft (39.6 m), while the Anchiornis huxleyi was the smallest with a length ranging up to 1.1 ft (34 cm). The Analong size is unrecorded so far.
The species from the family Mamenchisauridae under the clade Saurischia was described and named in 2020 but is poorly studied. As it was closely related to the Chuanjiesaurus, the American paleontologist Thomas Richard Holtz Jr. reported that the Chuanjiesaurus was as long as 82 ft (25 m).
How fast could an Analong move?
The Analong chuanjieensis from the clade Saurischia and the family Mamenchisauridae is one of the recently uncovered prehistoric animals around the world. The Analong, a Mamenchisaurid, was known to move on its four legs but the speed is not recorded.
How much did an Analong weigh?
While an unnamed Mamenchisaurid was recorded to weigh about 27.6 tons (25,075 kg), the weight of the Analong from the family Mamenchisauridae has not been computed so far.
What were the male and female names of the species?
The female and male Analong do not have sex-specific names.
What would you call a baby Analong?
A baby Analong can be called out as a chick, hatchling, or juvenile.
What did they eat?
The Analong was an herbivore member of the family Mamenchisauridae, primarily feeding upon leaves, roots, and fruits of various plants within its range.
How aggressive were they?
Although there is not much speculated about the behavior of the Analong, the Mamenchisaurid Sauropod was not known to have an aggressive temperament.
Did you know...
The Analong is a member of the family Mamenchisauridae. When the specimen was unearthed in 1995, it was assigned the contemporary genus, Chuanjiesaurus. Then it was named under the genus of Analong in 2020. It is a poorly studied prehistoric creature. Thus, several facts about the animal are yet to be unveiled.
What does 'Analong' mean?
Analong means 'Ana dragon' while the binomial name of its only subspecies, Analong chuanjieensis, means 'Ana dragon from Chuanjie'.
How many Analong dinosaurs were there?
While the population of the Mamenchisaurid is not reported, the Analong was known to have only one subspecies, the Analong chuanjieensis.
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 Panphagia facts and Thotobolosaurus facts for kids.
Gurpuneet KaurBachelor of Arts specializing in Economics
As a skilled content writer, Gurpuneet has written and managed engaging content for multiple websites and companies. Driven by a passion for helping young people achieve their full potential, she brings a unique perspective to her work. She is currently pursuing a degree in Economics from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College Of Commerce. With extensive experience as a tutor, Gurpuneet has made a significant impact by providing guidance and academic support to students. Her dedication extends beyond tutoring as she has volunteered with Action India, where she offered medical assistance and educational aid to underprivileged communities. Additionally, Gurpuneet has contributed to the creation of student study guides for various educational agencies.
Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR
Pradhanya RaoBachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR
With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.
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