FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The kingdom Animalia is classified into several prehistoric animals and modern animals. While dinosaurs were part of the prehistoric wildlife, birds and reptiles are thought of as descendants of dinosaurs. Lambeosaurinae form the group of crested Hadrosaurs living during the late Cretaceous period around 85-66 million years ago. Lambeosaurines have been classified into several clades of genera including the Parasaurolophus, the Charonosaurus, the Corythosaurus, the Hypacrosaurus, the Lambeosaurus, and others. The Charonosaurus inhabited northeastern China. Both adult and young Hadrosaur specimens were unearthed by Godefroit, Zan & Jin from the Yuliangze formation, west of the Jiayin village on the bank of the Amur River, in 2000, specifying the only type species, C. jiayinensis. The Charonosaurus holotype of incomplete skull takes after the Parasaurolophus and indicates a close relationship between these hadrosaurs. The incomplete skull is housed in the Changchun University of Sciences and Technology in the Jilin province. The dinosaur was probably one of the largest Hadrosaurs in Asia surviving until the late Maastrichtian age, unlike Lambeosaurines in North America.
If the uniqueness of the Charonosaurus makes you interested in reading more about similar species, you can read about the Prosaurolophus and the Brachytrachelopan.
The Charonosaurus pronunciation in its refined form is 'kə-roh-nə-sawr-əs'. The genus was named and unearthed by Godefroit, Zan & Jin with type species C. jiayinensis. The Charonosaurus name means 'Charon's lizard' and it was coined in 2000.
The Charonosaurus, which means 'Charon's lizard', was a genus of dinosaurs uncovered from the Yuliangze formation in the Heilongjiang province, northeastern China. Both adult and young hadrosaurs whose specimens of fossils were uncovered provided the taxonomic classification of the dinosaur. The incomplete skull takes after the Parasaurolophus and indicates it as one of the massive hadrosaurs in Asia and as a close relative of the Parasaurolophus living in North America during the late Cretaceous period.
The holotype of the incomplete skull, holotype CUST J-V1251-57, is preserved in the Changchun University of Sciences and Technology in the Jilin province. The Charonosaurus probably lived during the late Cretaceous period around 66 million years ago.
The Charonosaurus dinosaur most likely survived until the late Maastrichtian period around 66 million years ago. While these prehistoric animals did not have major threats, research features that dinosaurs were mainly threatened by natural disasters, habitat loss, and predators. One theory is that an asteroid collided with the Earth leading to the population of dinosaurs collapsing and dying due to suffocation. Most likely, the prehistoric wildlife fell victim to hydrogen sulfide poisoning.
Charonosaurus skeletal fossil remains were uncovered from the Yuliangze formation in the west of the Jiayin village, Heilongjiang province, so it lived around the south of the Amur River in northeastern China. Both adult and young Hadrosaur specimens, holotype CUST J-V1251-57 in particular, are currently housed in the Changchun University of Sciences and Technology.
The Charonosaurus habitat primarily comprised river banks, and the mobile animal was also found in grasslands, forests, deserts, beaches, woodlands, wetlands, and areas with plentiful vegetation.
Often the Charonosaurus was found in a group. It was found in pairs during the mating season.
Dinosaurs were known to live for around 70-80 years but neither the life span of the Charonosaurus nor the Parasaurolophus found in North America is recorded.
No research brings to light information regarding the reproductive behavior of the dinosaur except that it was an oviparous species.
Studying the Charonosaurus skull highlighted that the Charonosaurus head was strangely shaped. Likely, it was a quadruped but was also found walking on its two hind legs. As the name suggests, the dinosaur had a similar appearance to that of a lizard but was considerably large in size. The appearance of the extinct animal is drawn based on fossils of the Charonosaurus skeleton discovered. While specimens of adult and young hadrosaurs provided the taxonomic classification of the dinosaur, the incomplete skull takes after the Parasaurolophus, found in North America, showing similarities between the species. The large Charonosaurus size features the Charonosaurus height to be tallest over its hips. It had a large tail. There is limited information highlighting the original appearance and features of the dinosaur whose pelage was brightly colored.
Although the Charonosaurus features similarities to the Parasaurolophus found in North America, a complete skeleton has not been found of either dinosaur. Thus, the number of bones is not recorded.
Dinosaurs were known to communicate vocally and using gestures. While the Charonosaurus sound was not recorded, it most likely communicated via different movements such as tapping its feet, swaying its tail in the air, moving its head, clapping its jaws together, hissing, rubbing its scales together, grinding its mandibles against the upper jaws, or using various environmental materials like splashing water.
The Charonosaurus length was between 333-44 ft (10-13.5 m). Although the height of the dinosaur is not recorded, it was tallest at its hips.
It was a quadruped animal but ran on its two hind legs. It is thought to have had a considerable speed but the exact speed is unknown.
The Charonosaurus weight is not recorded.
Charonosaurus vs Parasaurolophus: The Parasaurolophus was recorded to weigh 2.5 ton (2268 kg) on average, while the weight of the Charonosaurus remains unrecorded.
The male dinosaur and female dinosaur do not have a sex-specific name. Neither do they have different binomial names nor are they differentiated by their names in layman terms. The binomial name of the type species is documented as Charonosaurus jiayinensis.
A baby Charonosaurus can also be called a hatchling or a chick.
The Charonosaurus was an herbivorous primarily feeding upon leaves, twigs, pine needles, and roots of various plants found within the range of its area.
The Charonosaurus is not known to have had an aggressive temperament.
The Charonosaurus and the Parasaurolophus were closely related but were often mistaken with one another.
The Charonosaurus did not have a specific defense mechanism. The Charonosaurus and the Parasaurolophus had similar crests or resonating chambers. A Parasaurolophus was known to use its crest to produce low-frequency sounds when threatened to warn other members of its group.
Asteroid collision followed by hydrogen sulfide poisoning led to the extinction of the Charonosaurus.
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 Orodromeus facts and Ludodactylus facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Charonosaurus coloring pages.
Main/Hero image- Debivort at English Wikipedia
Second image- Ghedoghedo
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At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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