Fun Draconyx Facts For Kids

The Draconyx, meaning 'dragon claw' was a dinosaur from the Tithonian age of the Late Jurassic period around 152-145 million years ago. The fossil remains of this species were found in the Bombarral Formation and the Lourinhã Formation in western Portugal. It was discovered in 1991, but described in 2001 by Miguel Telles Antunes and Octávio Mateus.

The classification of Draconyx loureiroi falls under the order of Ornithischia, the family Camptosauridae, and the clade of Ornithopoda. The name of this species was coined in honor of a Portuguese Jesuit priest and a notable figure in Portuguese paleontology, João de Loureiro. Although the entire skeleton is undiscovered, the recovered fossils suggest that these herbivore dinosaurs were similar to the Camptosaurus but much smaller.

The Draconyx was a herbivore ornithopod and their diet was entirely dependent on leaves, fruits, and other plant matter. They had claw-like forelimbs, a duck-billed mouth, and strong hind legs. The structure and placement of their maxillary teeth were among the reasons why its classification was made under Camptosauridae. They are estimated to have lived in terrestrial woodlands or plains and lived in large groups of over a hundred individuals.

If you love spending your time reading about prehistoric wildlife, check out the Prosaurolophus and the Ostafrikasaurus.

How do you pronounce 'Draconyx'? 

The name Dracoynx is pronounced as 'Dray-con-iks' and was termed by Miguel Telles Antunes and Octávio Mateus

What type of dinosaur was a Draconyx?

Based on the fossils of the Draconyx loureiroi, it has been confirmed that these herbivore ornithopods.

In which geological period did the Draconyx roam the earth?

These dinosaurs lived on the earth during the Tithonian age of the Late Jurassic epoch.

When did the Draconyx become extinct?

The Draconyx loureiroi roamed the earth around 145-152 million years ago.

Where did a Draconyx live? 

This dinosaur is estimated to have lived around Portugal and its neighbors. The fossil of this dinosaur was discovered in the Tithonian layer among the Bombarral Unit layers of the Lourinhã Formation in western Portugal.

What was a Draconyx's habitat? 

Not much is known about the habitat of this Ornithopoda genus found in Portugal. However, considering they were herbivores like all other members of Ornithopoda, they were much lower on the food chain and will have inhabited open woodland and plains with thick vegetation and a water source nearby.

Who did a Draconyx live with?

The lifestyle habits and behavior of these dinosaurs have not been analyzed. However, some speculation can be derived from the overall behaviorism discovered among other ornithopods. It is suggested that these animals of the Late Jurassic lived in herds of hundreds or thousands of individuals to stay protected from predators such as the T-Rex and raptors.

How long did a Draconyx live?

The lifespan of the Draconyx dinosaur has not been recorded based on the fossils.

How did they reproduce?

Although not much is known about the reproduction process of this genus based on its fossil remains, a few speculations can be drawn from the way other Ornithopod dinosaurs reproduced. One certain thing is that they mated sexually and carried out oviparous reproduction. For example, the Hadrosaur was known to visit special nesting sights in ancient lowlands and uplands by considering several factors such as dinosaur competition, behavior, soil type, and diet or food availability.

What did a Draconyx look like?

These dinosaurs were considered quite similar to the Camptosaurus, except that they were much smaller. They had strong hind legs with small forelimbs and were bipedal, reaching running speeds of up to 15 mph (25 kph). They had a bulky body with a thick tail, and slender limbs and neck. As their name suggests, they had clawed fingers which probably helped them pluck food from trees.

How many bones did a Draconyx have?

The exact number of bones in the body of the D. loureiroi has not been calculated. However, the discovered partial holotype skeleton displays an absent skull. The only bones found were three caudal centra, the manual unguals, a distal pineal of the right femur, one chevron, one manual phalanx, the distal and proximal pineal of the fibula and tibia, three tarsals, an astragalus, four metatarsals, a calcaneum, pedal phalanges, and two maxillary teeth.

How did they communicate?

Although it is known that these animals of the Late Jurassic lived in large herds, their exact method of communication is unknown. They could have communicated through visual as well as vocal display.

How big was a Draconyx? 

The Draconyx loureiroi had an estimated length of 11.4 ft (3.5 m), which is around a meter longer than the mountain zebra.

How fast could a Draconyx move?

Based on evidence, scientists have estimated that the dinosaurs of this genus could reach running speeds of up to 15 mph (25 kph).

How much did a Draconyx weigh?

The Draconyx loureiroi is said to have weighed around 330 lb (150 kg), which is around the same weight as the North American black bear.

What were the male and female names of the species?

Males and females of this species did not have separate names. The species went the common name, Draconyx loureiroi, 'draconyx' meaning 'dragon claw'.

What would you call a baby Draconyx?

The young ones of the D. loureiroi from Portugal would be called juveniles.

What did they eat? 

This genus was herbivorous although the exact diet preference is unknown. However, based on its classification under Ornithopoda, it can be said that they fed on leaves, fruits, and other plant material like roots or soft barks.

How aggressive were they?

Considering this genus of dinosaurs, Draconyx, was herbivorous and lowest on the food chain, they would have not been quite aggressive unless threatened or in presence of a dispute.

Did you know...

Herbivores such as bison, wildebeests, and deer are said to be the modern analogs of Ornithopods.

Ornithopoda fossils have been found on all the continents except Antarctica.

The distal edge of the labial crown of the maxillary Draconyx teeth has a distinctive vertical primary ridge. This was one of the features that confirmed its classification under Camptosauridae.

What continent did the Draconyx live on?

These dinosaurs were found on the European continent. They were discovered in the Tithonian layer among the Bombarral Unit layers of the Lourinhã Formation in Portugal.

Where was the Draconyx discovered?

This genus was discovered in the fossil-rich Late Jurassic age Lourinhã Formation in western Portugal. These fossils were found in 1991 and were described by Miguel Teller Antunes and Octávio Mateus in 2001.

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 Hesperosaurus facts and Zuniceratops facts for kids.

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

Image one by Miracusaurs

Image two by FunkMonk (Michael B. H.)