Fun Dromiceiomimus Facts For Kids

The genus Dromiceiomimus, which means 'emu mimic' because of its similar features to the modern-day emu, consists of only one species, D. brevitertius. The classification of this genus was provided by Dale Russell in 1972, placing it under the order of Saurischia, the suborder of Theropoda, and the family of Ornithomimidae.

Remains of these dinosaurs were discovered in the Horseshoe Canyon formation of Alberta, situated in western Canada. Initially, this genus was considered a species of Struthiomimus based on the description by William Parks, which is why D. brevitertius is synonymized with the Struthiomimus ingens as well as the Ornithomimus edmontonicus by some authors.

Fossils of this dinosaur have proven that it was probably a fast runner and used this as a survival tactic in its habitats which were populated by large predators such as the T-rex.

The diet of these dinosaurs was probably omnivorous and consisted of insects, vegetation, small rodents, or lizards. Among their features, their exceptionally large brain, long legs and tail, large eyes, clawed forelimbs, strong feet, and a toothless beak stand out the most. Some studies also state that this animal had feathers.

If ancient animals like dinosaurs intrigue you, take a look at the Brachytrachelopan and the Parvicursor.

Dromiceiomimus Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Dromiceiomimus'?

Dromiceiomimus is pronounced 'dro-mi-see-oh-me-mus'.

What type of dinosaur was a Dromiceiomimus?

The Dromiceiomimus, which means 'emu mimic', is an extinct genus belonging to the Ornithomimidae, under the suborder of Theropoda.

Initially, in 1926, this dinosaur was described as a Struthiomimus species based on the partial postcranium specimen. Later, Dale Russell reviewed these fossils and came to the conclusion that this would be the type species of a new genus called the Dromiceiomimus.

He also accepted the Struthiomimus ingens as its synonym and proposed that the Ornithomimus samueli be renamed as the second species of this genus.

He said that the basis of this distinction between the Dromiceiomimus and the Ornithomimus edmontonicus was related to limb proportions. When compared to the Ornithomimus, the ulna of the Dromiceiomimus was around 70 percent of the length of the femur and the humerus was shorter than the scapula.

In addition, the metatarsus, the preacetabular process, the pedal digit, and the tibia were longer compared to the femur.

However, in a publication of 1981, Russell and Nicholls stated that maybe these two genera were not very distinct, and using only bones of legs to find out whether they were related or not was insufficient evidence.

Later, Makovicky et al. synonymized the Dromiceiomimus with the Ornithomimus edmontonicus.

Philip John Currie and Ian McDonald proved that the classification described by Makovicky was not true by stating more differences between the two genera and that the specific name, Brevitertius, solidifies these claims even if they were to be considered the same genus.

In which geological period did the Dromiceiomimus roam the Earth?

The period during which this dinosaur roamed the Earth was the Barremian age of the late Cretaceous period.

When did the Dromiceiomimus become extinct?

This Therapoda dinosaur went extinct during the late Cretaceous period which is estimated to be around 73.5-68.5 million years ago.

Where did a Dromiceiomimus live?

The Dromiceiomimus lived in what is now province of Alberta of Canada in North America, which was then a subtropical coastal region much like a giant archipelago.

What was a Dromiceiomimus' habitat?

Although the exact habitat of this dinosaur has not been explained, some features of the environment can be derived from the paleoenvironment of the Horseshoe Canyon formation of the late Cretaceous period. Based on where it was found, this ornithomimid could have resided in heavily forested regions which had estuarine channels, floodplains, and coal swamps.

In addition, the area was said to have been cool because of the absence of crocodilian forms as well as turtles.

Who did a Dromiceiomimus live with?

The Dromiceiomimus brevitertius displayed gregarious behavior and lived together in not too large herds.

How long did a Dromiceiomimus live?

The is no information or research related to how long these dinosaurs may have lived.

How did they reproduce?

Not much is known about their reproduction, except that were oviparous and eggs were fertilized inside the female's body.

Dromiceiomimus Fun Facts

What did a Dromiceiomimus look like?

The late Cretaceous period Dromiceiomimus was a bipedal dinosaur with a significantly large brain; long, slender necks; small skulls consisting of large eyes; a toothless beak; narrow, elongated forelimbs ending in a claw; and powerful, long rear legs.

The analysis of their hind legs suggests that they were designed for speed especially because the region below the knee was considerably longer than the femur. There is speculation that this dinosaur may have been the fastest runner in its ecosystem.

Their hollow bones also assisted with agility because they reduced the overall weight of their body.

In addition, the length of their tails was supported by tendons and their tails could be lifted up to help with balance while running fast. They had a long neck supporting their skull which would have helped them watch out for prey at long distances and above the forest cover.

Their skull presented a large orbital fenestrae with huge eyes with beak-like jaws.

This dinosaur is said to have had good vision even during the night because scleral rings have shown signs of a cathemeral lifestyle, meaning the dinosaur was active during the night as well as the day, but for shorter periods.

This dinosaur also had feathers that were comparatively short with simple filamentous branching, but scales would have been on their feet. Another distinctive feature was their brain cavity which suggests that they had huge brains which were possibly the largest in their ecosystem.

Further analysis proposed that they would have had a proprioceptive brain which means they had better reflexes and overall movement, suggesting that these dinosaurs may have been intelligent.

How many bones did a Dromiceiomimus have?

The number of bones in this omnivorous dinosaur is unspecified. The specimen that has been found displays incomplete skeletons.

How did they communicate?

The manner in which this dinosaur communicated is unknown. However, they could have used both vocal as well as visual display to interact. This can be confirmed further because they had feathers that could be used to portray certain behaviors and considering they had good eyesight, they would be receptive to these physical interactions.

How big was a Dromiceiomimus?

The size of the Dromiceiomimus was comparable to that of a present-day ostrich. It could grow up to 12 ft (3 m) in length and up to 3.9 ft (1.2 m) in height, which is slightly smaller than the Southern cassowary.

How fast could a Dromiceiomimus move?

The Dromiceiomimus belonged to the family which had the fastest dinosaurs that ever lived, and this dinosaur was one of the fastest of the family. It was estimated to have been able to run at a speed of 45-50 mph (64.3-80.4 kph), which is the same as the speed of the modern-day lion.

How much did a Dromiceiomimus weigh?

The Dromiceiomimus dinosaur was not too heavy for its size, weighing in at around 220 lb (100 kg), almost 10 times the weight of a western diamondback rattlesnake.

What were the male and female names of the species?

Males and females of this species do not have separate names and are collectively known as Dromiceiomimus. The classification, as well as the name of this dinosaur, took several years to fall into place.

In 1926, this dinosaur was described as a Struthiomimus species based on the partial postcranium. Later, Dale Russell reviewed these fossils and came to the conclusion that this would be the type species of a completely new genus called the Dromiceiomimus, which means 'emu mimic' because of its physical attributes.

What would you call a baby Dromiceiomimus?

A young dinosaur of this genus would be called a juvenile.

What did they eat?

This Ornithomimus was an omnivorous dinosaur and consumed a diet primarily of insects and vegetation but would at times eat small rodents or lizards or even eggs of other dinosaurs.

How aggressive were they?

These dinosaurs did not have any defense mechanism other than their speed. They, therefore, displayed gregarious behavior of living in herds for protection from predators, using their long, powerful feet to carry them away from danger.

Did you know...

The Dromiceiomimus was similar to a modern-day ostrich except that it had a longer tail. Their brains as well were much larger than those of ostriches and emus.

Is the Dromiceiomimus the fastest dinosaur?

The Dromiceiomimus was the fastest dinosaur due to its powerful rear legs. Much like the ostrich, it could run at great speeds.

Could the Dromiceiomimus fly?

No, this species had flightless feathers which could not assist it in flying. The reason why this extinct species of North America had feathers was probably because of sexual dimorphism and protection. However, some studies state that feathers of this dinosaur could have given it a little lift to run efficiently.

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 Aegyptosaurus facts and Fukuiraptor facts for kids.

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

Image one by Conty.

Image two by Petr Serapionov.