Fun Borogovia Facts For Kids

Many primitive dinosaurs have been discovered from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, including the Borogovia. A carnivorous theropod species, Borogovia gracilicrus lived on our planet in the Late Cretaceous period. Unfortunately, only fragmented parts of one specimen's feet have been found. However, these parts have given researchers insight into the general taxonomic classification, age range, and ecology of the Borogovia. Also, its classification as a member of the Troodontid and Theropod family has contributed to describing the dinosaur's behavior.

In this article, you will find interesting facts about this predator. For instance, this dinosaur from Mongolia was named after a fantasy creature 'borogove' from Lewis Caroll's poem. There is also confusion regarding its diet. Carnivore or omnivore? Paleontologists are not sure! Then there is its unique toe, which makes it different from Troodontids. Keep reading, if you want to learn why its toe is special and other related facts about the Borogovia gracilicrus.

It is time to discover other Borogovia facts for kindergarten kids. You can also explore other dinosaur articles like Veterupristisaurus and Szechuanosaurus on Kidadl.

How do you pronounce 'Borogovia'?

The name Borogovia is pronounced 'Boh-ro-go-ve-ah.'

What type of dinosaur was a Borogovia?

Borogovia gracilicrus is a type of troodontid theropod dinosaur. Troodontids are bird-like maniraptorans known for their unique skull and sickle-shaped claws.

In which geological period did the Borogovia roam the earth?

During the Maastrichtian period, the Borgovia dinosaur roamed the earth. This Upper/Late Cretaceous period occurred between 66-72 million years ago.

When did the Borogovia become extinct?

This dinosaur species became extinct around 66 million years ago. This is the exact time when an asteroid hit the earth, leading to the extinction of the entire dinosaur species.

Where did a Borogovia live?

Borogovia was a terrestrial dinosaur.

What was a Borogovia's habitat?

The remains of this ground-dwelling dinosaur were found in the Nemegt Formation of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, Asia. The Nemegt Formation was attributed to a wet climate compared to previous formations. During this period, some forest cover may have existed in the region, which resulted in a habitat rich with a wide range of foods. This food-rich habitat would have been able to support Cretaceous dinosaurs. The Nemegt Formation was a thickly wooded region with tall coniferous trees.

Who did a Borogovia live with?

The Borogovia gracilicrus was a solitary species.

How long did a Borogovia live?

The life expectancy of a Borogove has not been ascertained.

How did they reproduce?

This genus of the Troodontid family was oviparous, meaning it reproduced by laying eggs. Other information about its mating habits, nesting style, and incubation, and fledging period is unknown.

What did a Borogovia look like?

According to the description provided by Osmólska, the discovered fragmented remains of the Borogovia were not conclusive enough to provide specific details of the dinosaur. However, the visible details confirm it to be a member of the Troodontidae family. Parts of the hind feet (Tibiotarsi, metatarsals, and toes) were discovered in Mongolia. Physically, the features of the B. gracilicrus closely resemble the Dromaeosauridaes.

The discovered holotype includes incomplete left and right tibiotarsi, the proximal portion of the fibula, distal parts of metatarsals, and second, third and fourth toes of the feet. An interesting observation was made about its second toe. Most Troodontids have a sickle-shaped claw, however, the Borogovia's claw on the second toe is flatter and more short. While the third toe was short, the second toe was hyperextended. Researchers have attributed this weight-bearing feature of the second toe as compensation for the poorly-developed third toe.

Earlier, researchers thought this dinosaur to be a member of the Saurornithoides family. But later on, based on the specialized features, it was classed as a new species.

How many bones did a Borogovia have?

Paleontologists have been able to discover only one specimen for this species type. This dinosaur's holotype consisted of fragments of hind limbs, including incomplete left and right tibiotarsi, parts of metatarsals, and second, third, and fourth toes of each foot. This evidence is not enough to provide a concrete picture of the bone structure of the B. gracilicrus.

How did they communicate?

The fragmentary remains are insufficient to determine the communication ability of this Late Cretaceous dinosaur.

How big was a Borogovia?

The estimated length of this dinosaur was approximately 6.6 ft (2 m). Its length was similar to Saurornithoides mongoliensis, another related dinosaur species found in Mongolia.

How fast could a Borogovia move?

The speed at which B. gracilicrus moved has yet to be ascertained. However, these dinosaurs were believed to be actively mobile. Since they were bipedal, they used their two legs to move about.

How much did a Borogovia weigh?

The weight of this dinosaur would be around 45 lb (20.4 kg). These theropod dinosaurs weighed as much as a big beaver.

What were the male and female names of the species?

The name of both sexes of this genus is the same, males and females were called B. gracilicrus.

What would you call a baby Borogovia?

The baby of a B. gracilicrus would be referred to as a hatchling or nestling.

What did they eat?

This dinosaur that thrived in the Late Cretaceous period could either have had a carnivorous or omnivorous diet. Carnivore borogoves from Mongolia might have preyed on smaller animal species. Because the Borogovia dinosaur could have been omnivores, it's possible that plants were a part of their diet.

How aggressive were they?

These carnivorous dinosaurs were usually aggressive. However, not much is known about the aggression level of this theropod family member yet.

Did you know...

Osmólska assigned the Borogoves to the Troodontid family in 1987.

The species holotype is referred to as ZPAL MgD-I/174.

How was the Borogovia discovered?

The remains of the Borogoves were discovered by a Polish-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition in 1971. These remains were found in the Ömnögovĭ province in the Nemegt Formation at Altan Ula IV locality. In 1982, the find was finally reported by Halszka Osmólska. At first, she described the dinosaur as a member of Saurornithoides, however, later upon study she listed it as a new dinosaur species from the Late Cretaceous period. Finally, it was in 1987, Osmólska gave the name Borogovia gracilicrus.

Fun fact, the inspiration for the dinosaur name came from Lewis Carroll's poem 'Jabberwocky'. The dinosaur was named after the 'borogoves', fictional avian creatures in 'Through the Looking-Glass'. The type species name combines the Latin word 'gracilis', meaning lightly built, and 'crus', meaning shin. This is in reference to its elegantly built lower legs of borogoves.

What continent did the Borogovia live on?

The Borogovia lived on the Asian continent. The remains of this Late Cretaceous dinosaur were discovered in Ömnögovi (Mongolia).

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Changyuraptor facts, or Zhenyuanlong fun facts for kids.

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

Main image by Halzska Osmolska