Fun Gobisaurus Facts For Kids

The Gobisaurus is a dinosaur frequently featured in TV shows (especially animated cartoons). Chances are, you have seen one of these creatures in one of these shows, even if you did not know what they were called just then. Despite their recent discovery in the deserts of Mongolia, their unique characteristics have captured the public imagination. It is known for its hump-shaped back, and most importantly, its clubbed tail. Though there is no scientific consensus on its claw-shaped tail and whether it was used as an attack weapon - the majority believe they did have a weapon for a tail. In the Gobi Desert, the Sino-Soviet Expeditions (1959–1960) uncovered an ankylosaurian skeleton. Unfortunately, the postcranial skeleton was not found, but the skull was shown, unofficially called 'Gobisaurus', a nomen nudum at the time.

If you wish to learn more information about them, like their tail, description, how they survived in an unforgiving climate like the Gobi desert, and so much more, then just read on. You can also look at other dinosaurs like the Rahonavis and Sauropelta.

How do you pronounce 'Gobisaurus'?

The word Gobisaurus is pronounced at 'Go-bee-sore-us'. This name was first given to it when it was discovered in the Gobi desert in Mongolia. It was this that earned this species its name.

What type of dinosaur was a Gobisaurus?

Gobisaurus domoculus was a primitive herbivore ankylosaurid ankylosaur that went extinct soon after the Cretaceous period. It was a new dinosaur in terms of discovery, with information and description of this species only coming up post-2001.

What geological period did the Gobisaurus roam the Earth?

This dinosaur (Ankylosauria) roamed the Earth in China's Upper Cretaceous (and probably also the Lower Cretaceous), which was approximately 100.5-66 million years ago.

When did the Gobisaurus become extinct?

Paleogene time was when this creature first saw its decline, becoming extinct less than a million years later. However, this is not determined, and there is much left to search and explore when looking at its lifespan.

Where did a Gobisaurus live?

Gobisaurus (Dinosauria Ornithischia) is a Late Cretaceous (Lower Cretaceous) Ankylosaurid from Inner Mongolia's Gobi Desert (China). Therefore, it has been assumed that this large-sized specimen only lived in China.

What was a Gobisaurus's habitat?

An ankylosaur skeleton was found in the Ulansuhai Formation (Gobi Desert) of Northern China near Moartu, in the Alashan Dunes, by Sino-Soviet Expeditions in 1959–1960. This implies that Gobisaurus domoculus lived in the deserts.

Who did a Gobisaurus live with?

The Gobisaurus dinosaur (ankylosaurid ankylosaur) accepted no more than four members of its kind, making it one of the least social herbivores. But it was discovered living in groups, which is something one does not see in herbivores, new and old species.

How long did a Gobisaurus live?

Gobisaurus domoculus dinosaur (Dinosauria Ornithischia) existed from 93.9-89.8 million years ago.

How did they reproduce?

These Ornithischia dinosaurs (Ankylosauria), the genus of ankylosaur, were oviparous and reproduced by laying eggs.

What did a Gobisaurus look like?

The gobisaurus has earthen colors of green, gray, brown, and other shades of warm colors. New information is awaited on the matter, but until now, these shades make up the dinosaur. These creatures also had a large, curved back with club-like protrusions from its body and a long tail.

How many bones did a Gobisaurus have?

The holotype, discovered in Ulansuhai Formation, comprises a skull and as yet unidentified postcranial remains. Since there is no accountability for the complete skeleton of these cretaceous dinosaurs, it is impossible to deduce how many bones they had.

How did they communicate?

Due to a lack of research, it is not known how they communicated.

How big was a Gobisaurus?

The Gobisaurus size wildlife is between 20-23 ft (6-7 m). The Orodromeus length measured about 8.2 ft (2.5 m). Therefore, Gobisaurus dinosaurs are larger than Orodromeus species.

How fast could a Gobisaurus move?

If you're looking for facts about the Gobisaurus for kids, the fact that this dinosaur (Ankylosauria) has a slow maximum speed of 5.6 mph (9 kph), as well as a 15 second rest time on its strikes and average senses, implying that opponents will most probably see you first before you see them, is a good one!

How much did a Gobisaurus weigh?

Russell gives the weight of these dinosaurs (Ankylosauria) as approximately 7716 lb (3500 kg). This makes them moderately sized dinosaurs. Some other herbivores are far larger, but it appears this one could also hold its own.

What were the male and female names of the species?

The male and female dinosaurs (Ankylosaurid), the genus of Ankylosaur, who lived in the Lower Cretaceous period, have no special name.

What would you call a baby Gobisaurus?

The baby dinosaur (Dinosauria, Ornithischia), closely related to the Shamosaurus of the Cretaceous period, doesn't have any specific time frame or remains or fossil of its young. There have been no discovered eggs or offspring for this species either, which makes naming babies difficult.

What did they eat?

K. Vickaryous named this herbivore dinosaur of the Late Cretaceous and P. Russell in 2001. This relatively new species may have fed on plants. These plants could include leaves off trees, shrubbery, and various other fruits and vegetation.

How aggressive were they?

One of the first things you need to know about the aggression of this species is that they were fairly aggressive. Not only do they travel with a tailpiece that can double up as a weapon, but they also have club-shaped protrusions from their body and back.

Did you know...

The type species Gobisaurus was named and described by Matthew K. Vickaryous et al., Anthony P. Russell, Philip J. Currie, and Xi-Jin Zhao (2001). The generic name refers to its origins as a 'Gobi (Desert) lizard'. In Latin, the name represents 'hidden from view', referring to that this missed it for three decades. The holotype was discovered in an Ulansuhai Formation stratum. It was thought to be Aptian in 2001, but later studies revealed it to be Turonian in age. It is made up of a skull and unidentified postcranial remains.

How were the Gobisaurus and Shamosaurus related?

Many cranial features of Gobisaurus domoculus are shared with Shamosaurus scutatus, including a rounded squamosal, large elliptical orbital fenestrae, low supraorbital bosses, short squamosal horns, and external nares (oval eye sockets as well as nostrils). In addition, the eye sockets have a fifth-length cross-section, a deltoid dorsal shape with a short rostrum (a slender, kite-shaped nose in top view), quadratojugal protuberances (cheek spikes), and caudolaterally oriented paroccipital processes (extensions of the back skull pointing to sideways and behind).

It may utilize variations in the length of the mandibular tooth row (26.6% rather than 40% of overall skull length with Gobisaurus) and an unfused basipterygoid-pterygoid feature in this species (ankylosaurid ankylosaur) to identify the two taxa. In addition, the face of the pterygoid presence in e vertical form, the presence on an elongated vomerine premaxillary feature in Gobisaurus, and cranial sculpting in Shamosaurus, though not in Gobisaurus.

A new report of the Ulansuhai Formation has also shown that Gobisaurus may be lived about the Turonian stage (Cretaceous). At the same time, Shamosaurus seems to have lived nearby the earlier Aptian-Albian grades of the Cretaceous period. Sinornithomimus appears to have lived in the same area as Shamosaurus, yet it is exceedingly improbable that this dinosaur would have been a danger to an ankylosaur like Shamosaurus.

What terrain did the Gobisaurus live in?

These Ankylosauria dinosaurs (family: Ankylosauridae) lived in the deserts of Inner Mongolia (Ulansuhai Formation) in China.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about other creatures from our Atrociraptor facts, or Orodromeus facts for kids.

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

Main image by Foolp.