Fun Erketu Facts For Kids
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Have you ever heard of a dinosaur species that had a neck estimated to be twice as long as its body? If not, we will share all these amazing facts regarding the Erketu dinosaur.
The species Erketu ellisoni was a sauropod dinosaur that belonged to the Erketu genus. The dinosaur existed during the Late Cretaceous period that spanned from 96 to 89 million years ago. The genus Erketu was named after Tengri, the creator god of Mongolia.
The long-necked sauropod was quite large. The average weight and the body length of the species are said to be around 11,023 lb (5,000 kg) and 49 ft (15 m), respectively.
The hindlimb material also suggests the approximate body size. The neck was quite long as compared to the body size which may be a record for neck to body ratio.
It is a result of greatly elongated vertebrae and it is not known whether the number of cervical vertebrae increased. The dinosaur also possessed bifurcate anterior cervical neural spines.
Expeditions were conducted in Mongolia and fossils were found by the American Museum of Natural History–Mongolian Academy of Sciences in 2002. Collected elements were mainly cervical vertebrae and a skeleton which consisted of the partial right sternum, the tibia, the calcaneum, and a few more parts.
The species Erketu ellisoni was described by Mark Norell and Daniel Ksepka and was named in honor of Mick Ellison, a close friend of Norell.
Let's read more fun facts about the Erketu, and if you find this article interesting, don't forget to check out exciting facts about different dinosaurs like the Caviramus and the Ludodactylus.
Erketu Interesting Facts
How do you pronounce Erketu?
The Erketu pronunciation is so easy that a grade one student would be able to say it assuredly. You just have to say it like 'er-ke-tu'. While talking about Erketu etymology, the genus was named after Tengri, the creator god of Mongolia.
What type of dinosaur was an Erketu?
The Erketu ellisoni was a sauropod dinosaur that belonged to the Erketu genus, and the class of Reptilia. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Erketu was a basal somphospondylian. The dinosaur is best known for its long neck and is closely related to the Titanosauria.
In which geological period did the Erketu roam the earth?
These Erketu dinosaurs existed during the Late Cretaceous period that spanned from 96 to 89 million years ago. Fossils were found between 2002 and 2003 during a field expedition in Mongolia, and the dinosaur was first described in March 2006.
When did the Erketu become Extinct?
The exact period of extinction is not known as of now, but these Erketu ellisoni dinosaurs would have become Extinct somewhere in the Late Cretaceous period. Also, the reason for extinction is not known, but generally, dinosaurs became Extinct due to several factors such as climate change, volcanic eruption, drought, and many more.
Where did an Erketu live?
Fossils of the Erketu ellisoni were first discovered by a field expedition in Mongolia, and they were found by the American Museum of Natural History–Mongolian Academy of Sciences in 2002. It is said that these dinosaurs roamed throughout Asia during the Late Cretaceous period.
An interesting fact about Mongolia is that several Cretaceous dinosaurs such as the Velociraptor, the Oviraptor, and many more were found here.
What was an Erketu's habitat?
No evidence regarding the Erketu habitat from remains of the long-necked sauropod has been gathered. However, generally, sauropods preferred wet and coastal habitats. Sauropods trackways have been found near coastal terrains or crossing floodplains.
Who did an Erketu live with?
Like other sauropods, the Erketu ellisoni was a social creature and used to live in herds. Even the long-necked sauropod is noted for constructing nests in groups. During the breeding season, they must have formed pairs.
How long did an Erketu live?
The exact lifespan of the Erketu ellisoni is not known as of now, but sauropod species were known for having a slower metabolism which resulted in longer lifespans. Species such as the Apatosaurus, the Brachiosaurus, the Diplodocus, the Supersaurus, and a few more had an average age of 100 years.
How did they reproduce?
Very little information regarding Erketu ellisoni mating patterns is available as of now, but it can be said that the Sauropoda species used similar methods as modern-day reptiles and birds. Studies also revealed that the Sauropoda species used to perform several courtship displays during the breeding season.
Recovered remains suggest that eggs of sauropods were not bigger than eggs of a modern adult goose. The litter size of the species is not known but the incubation period was likely to have been between 65 and 82 days.
Erketu Fun Facts
What did an Erketu look like?
The Erketu was one of the biggest sauropods found in Mongolia. Fossils suggest that the dinosaur might have had the longest neck relative to the body size of any dinosaur while the hindlimb material also suggests the approximate body size.
The elongated, long neck was a result of greatly elongated vertebrae and it is not known whether the number of cervical vertebrae increased. The dinosaur also possessed bifurcate anterior cervical neural spines.
*We've been unable to source an image of an Erketu and have used an image of a Brontosaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of an Erketu, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.
How many bones did an Erketu have?
The exact number of bones of the dinosaur is not known as of now, but remains were found in a field expedition conducted by the American Museum of Natural History–Mongolian Academy of Sciences in 2002. Remains mainly included cervical vertebrae and a skeleton which consisted of the partial right sternum, the tibia, the calcaneum, and a few more parts.
How did they communicate?
Like other dinosaurs and modern-day animals, Erketu dinosaurs used similar methods to communicate with each other. They used visual, tactile, and auditory cues to communicate. During the breeding season, they performed several courtship displays.
How big was an Erketu?
The long-necked sauropod was quite large. The average weight and the body length of the species are said to be around 11,023 lb (5,000 kg) and 49 ft (15 m), respectively.
The neck was quite long as compared to the body size which may be a record for neck-to-body ratio. The species is quite a bit bigger than the Magyarosaurus and the Antarctosaurus.
How fast could an Erketu move?
The exact speed of the Erketu dinosaur is not known but biomechanics study of a few species revealed that some sauropods had a top speed of 5 mph (8 kph).
How much did an Erketu weigh?
The average weight of the dinosaur is said to be around 11,023 lb (5,000 kg).
What were the male and female names of the species?
There are no specific names given to male and female dinosaurs; people generally call them Erketu ellisoni dinosaurs.
What would you call a baby Erketu?
Like modern-day reptiles, the term hatchlings is used to refer to babies of the Erketu.
What did they eat?
Remains of these dinosaurs suggest that the Erketu diet mainly included plants and leaves.
How aggressive were they?
Erketu dinosaurs were highly gregarious and no other information regarding their social behavior is available as of now.
Did you know...
Tengri is regarded as the national god of Gokturks. Also, the other meaning of Tengri is 'sky god'.
The Cretaceous period lasted from 145 to 66 million years ago.
As they were herbivores, these dinosaurs did not hunt.
Is an Erketu an Ornithopod?
No, the Erketu was not an ornithopod. Ornithopods were bipedal running grazers that were primarily found in the North American continent.
How strong were their teeth?
The species was an herbivore, thus it can be said that the species possessed delicate teeth.
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 Crichtonsaurus facts, or Heterodontosaurus facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable dinosaurs coloring pages.
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As a content writer, Abhishek's passion for writing extends beyond professional content creation. With a Bachelor's degree in History from Ram Lal Anand College in Delhi, Abhishek is a skilled writer in both English and Hindi, bringing a creative flair to his work. He enjoys crafting satires and poetry and is dedicated to producing engaging and informative content.
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