Fun Enigmosaurus Facts For Kids

So you just watched a Jurassic Park movie, and you're curious about the fascinating creatures starring in it, and you want to learn more about them? You've come to the right place! Read on to learn interesting facts about a very special Theropod dinosaur from Mongolia. This article will not only tell you about its appearance and history, but also details about its habitat, range, when and where it was discovered, its size, weight, length, and behavior!

Enigmosaurus (meaning enigmatic lizard), known from its odd-shaped pelvis and other remains, is a genus of Therizinosauria that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous period. Compared to other dinosaurs it was medium-sized. This ground-dwelling dinosaur was a bipedal herbivore that represents the third Therizinosaur taxon from the Bayan Shireh Formation. The generic name Enigmosaurus is derived from the Greek words 'aínigma' meaning enigma and 'sauros' meaning lizard, which was given in reference to its distinctive physical features and the unusual shape of its pelvis. Whereas the specific name 'mongoliensis' was given because it was discovered in Mongolia. Living in the Late Cretaceous period, this Theropod was first reported in 1979. Some paleontologists suggest that they are similar to Erlikosaurus, since it was also found in the same geologic formation, and is also known for its distinctive pelvic remains. However, after more in-depth studies and observations, researchers found that its pelvis doesn't resemble that of Erlikosaurus and that there is no connection between the two species, in fact, there is a huge size difference. Besides, both genera are known from two separate strata: lower and upper. During this time, information about Therizinosaurs was limited. The species Enigmosaurus mongoliensis was named and described in 1983 by Rinchen Barsbold and Altangerel Perle, who also nicknamed it the 'dinosaur from Khara Khutul'. The fossil consisted of a partial skeleton, lacking the skull, and includes a well-preserved pelvic girdle with other postcrania.

Learn about some other prehistoric creatures from our Austroraptor facts and Abrictosaurus facts pages.

How do you pronounce 'Enigmosaurus'? 

The word Enigmosaurus is pronounced 'ee-nig-moe-saw-rus'.

What type of dinosaur was an Enigmosaurus?

Enigmosaurus is a Therapod, and was isolated as a separate species Enigmosauridae, but later made a member of the Segnosauridae family, popularly known as Therizinosauridae.

In which geological period did the Enigmosaurus roam the earth?

The remains of this dinosaur were found in sediments that were deposited during the Late Cretaceous period on the Bayan Shireh Formation, Khara Khutul locality. The biodiversity across the formation was characterized by Therizinosaurs, as seen on the remains of Erlikosaurus and Segnosaurus.

When did the Enigmosaurus become extinct?

These dinosaurs lived during the Late Cretaceous period in Mongolia and went extinct during the K-T mass extinction nearly 65 million years ago.

Where did an Enigmosaurus live? 

Fossils of these dinosaurs were found or discovered at the Khara Khutul locality in the Bayan Shireh Formation, southeastern Mongolia.

What was an Enigmosaurus' habitat? 

Their habitat included areas that were heavily covered by vegetation and riversides. These regions provided good feeding for them and other herbivores.

Who did an Enigmosaurus live with?

They were mostly solitary but often fed in pairs or small groups of three or four.

How long did an Enigmosaurus live?

The life span of this dinosaur is unknown. However, Therapods were believed to have a life span of 26-32 years.

How did they reproduce?

They reproduced via sexual reproduction. Males would deposit their sperm inside females, who would later lay fertilized eggs containing developing dinosaur embryos.

What did an Enigmosaurus look like?

This theropod dinosaur is popular for its long neck and intimidating claws that were at least 1 ft (0.3 m) long. It was a relatively large-bodied Therizinosaur. This dinosaur is commonly called the puzzling lizard because of its puzzling physique.

How many bones did an Enigmosaurus have?

The exact number of bones present in its body is unknown as most fossils discovered are missing certain parts, but given that they were quite tall and long the average number of bones should be around 145-200.

How did they communicate?

These dinosaurs communicated both vocally and visually. Body language played an important role in interspecific and intraspecific communication.

How big was an Enigmosaurus? 

These dinosaurs grew up to 23 ft (7 m) in length, and 10 ft (3 m) in height.

How fast could an Enigmosaurus move?

The speed of these dinosaurs is unknown. However, since it is a Therizinosaur, it was likely a slow herbivore and/or omnivore, as suggested by most authors.

How much did an Enigmosaurus weigh?

It was a heavy-bodied dinosaur and had a weight of 1,001-2,000 lb (454-907 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

The female species are called Saura, whereas males are called Saurus.

What would you call a baby Enigmosaurus?

These dinosaurs hatched from eggs, therefore new baby dinosaurs are called hatchlings, just like their reptile cousins the turtles and crocodiles.

What did they eat? 

They were herbivores, therefore, their diet mainly consisted of plants and fruits. In locations where their fossils were found, remains of diverse paleo flora were also discovered, along with several other fossil fruits. The unearthed fruits looked similar to Abelmoschus esculentus, however, definitive taxonomic affinities are unclear.

How aggressive were they?

Scientists speculate that they were not aggressive in general but were definitely good at defending themselves thanks to their long sharp claws.

Did you know...

The genus Therizinosaur is monotypic, including only the type species Enigmosaurus mongoliensis (Barsbold and Perle).

What does the name 'Enigmosaurus' mean?

The Enigmosaurus, meaning Enigmatic or puzzling lizard was named in 1983, by Rinchen Barsbold and Altangerel Perle. The generic name was derived from the Greek word aínigma, which translates to riddle or puzzle, which is a reference made to the unusual shape of its pelvis. The specific name refers to the provenance from Mongolia.

Which dinosaur has the longest claws?

There isn't a specific dinosaur who claims the title for having the longest claws, as all members of the Therizinosauria genus have long claws!

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 Volgatitan fun facts or Bravoceratops fun facts pages.

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

Main image by PaleoNeolitic and second image by Nobu Tamura.