Fun Incisivosaurus Facts For Kids

The Incisivosaurus, which means "incisor lizard', was one of the strangest plant-eating dinosaurs discovered under the clade of oviraptorids dated back to the Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous epoch. The fossil specimen of this dinosaur was found in China buried under the lowest level of the Yixian formation around the Sihetun area near Beipiao City in the Liaoning Province.

The characteristic rodent-like front teeth (buck teeth) of this oviraptorosaurs species are what sets them apart from the others belonging to the same clade. These dinosaurs had an elongated snout that made up half of their short skull, and their dentition proved that they were among the primitive oviraptorids, since the advanced species were toothless. Furthermore, the specimen remains showed traces of feathers as well.

Based on studies of the specimen, it has been concluded that the feathers of the Incisivosaurus were not meant for flying. Evidence also suggests that males would impress the female by displaying their colorful feathers and even ruffle and raise their crests and feathers when a rival male tried to attract their potential mate.

If you want to know more about some unique feathery animals, check out the Stygimoloch and the Isisaurus.

How do you pronounce 'Incisivosaurus'? 

The word 'Incisivosaurus' is pronounced as In-si-se-vo-sore-us.

What type of dinosaur was an Incisivosaurus?

According to its classification, the Incisivosaurus belonged to the theropod group and was one of the strangest looking herbivorous oviraptorids.

In which geological period did the Incisivosaurus roam the earth?

Based on the fossils of these oviraptorosaurs, they are estimated to have lived during the Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous epoch.

When did the Incisivosaurus become extinct?

Evidence suggests that this species of oviraptorids went extinct around 126 million years ago.

Where did an Incisivosaurus live? 

This dinosaur species was found in Asia. Their fossils were discovered in China among the lowest fluvial bed of the Yixian formation, near Beipiao city in the regions of the Liaoning Western Province.

What was an Incisivosaurus' habitat? 

The exact habitat preference of these Incisivosaurus dinosaurs is unknown, but most theropods lived in terrestrial regions rich in vegetation and water supply. They were found around ancient streams, rivers, forested floodplains, lakes, and swamps.

Who did an Incisivosaurus live with?

Based on the fossilized remains, not much can be inferred about the living behavior of the Incisivosaurus dinosaur.

How long did an Incisivosaurus live?

There is no information available about the lifespan of these dinosaurs.

How did they reproduce?

Due to the presence of flashy feathers, it is speculated that males ruffled their feathers to impress the female when breeding. Although not much is known about the Incisivosaurus, it is possible that it shared similar reproduction traits with other oviraptorosaurs because of its classification. This species was oviparous and laid elongated eggs. Several clutches of oviraptorosaurs with more than a dozen eggs have been discovered. Over these nests, dinosaur specimens positioned in a brooding manner have been found, suggesting that oviraptorids incubated their eggs. The eggs were placed with the pointy end backward from the cloaca, and geochemical studies estimated that these eggs were incubated at a temperature of around 95-104 ℉ (35-40 ℃). They also had two oviducts that produce one egg at a time, similar to the existing crocodiles, except their oviducts produce multiple eggs at a time.

What did an Incisivosaurus look like?

One of the characteristic features of the Incisivosaurus skeleton skull bones, that sets it apart from other oviraptorosaurs species, is its protruding, rodent-like front teeth. That is also why its name translates to 'incisor lizard'. Their teeth also had markings similar to those of several herbivore dinosaurs, suggesting that their diet mainly consisted of plants. The Incisivosaurus skull bones were quite small at a length of 3.93 in (10 cm), out of which half the area was taken up by its long snout. The jaw of these dinosaurs was slender with an elongated opening. It had similar features to major oviraptorosaurs, allowing its classification in this clade, and it was also considered to be one of the primitive members because of the number of teeth, especially because the advanced species were toothless. Based on the specimens found in 2010, it is also suggested that the body of these dinosaurs was covered in feathers, but these were meant for display and not for flight.

How many bones did an Incisivosaurus have?

The number of bones in the Incisivosaurus body has not been recorded.

How did they communicate?

Not much is known about the communication patterns of the Incisivosaurus, except that they flashed their feathers to attract a mate or keep rival males away.

How big was an Incisivosaurus? 

The Incisivosaurus body length was measured at 8.2 ft (2.5 m), which is similar to the length of the male Komodo Dragon. Research has also proven that the Incisivosaurus size based on their height is around 4.26 ft (1.3 m) which is the same height as a mature male Elk.

How fast could an Incisivosaurus move?

The speed at which the Incisivosaurus could move is unknown. However, studies have shown that many oviraptorosaurs' body structures allowed them to make quick movements with a maximum running speed of up to 43 mph (69.2 kph), which is similar to the fastest canid, the Greyhound.

How much did an Incisivosaurus weigh?

Based on the studies conducted on the fossil remains and their classification, the Incisivosaurus species is estimated to have weighed around 60 lb (27.2 kg), similar to the weight of a Gray Wolf.

What were the male and female names of the species?

The male and female of this species share the same name, Incisivosaurus, which means 'incisor lizard' because of its prominent, rodent-like front teeth.

What would you call a baby Incisivosaurus?

The baby of the Incisivosaurus dinosaur would be called a nestling or a hatchling.

What did they eat? 

This species was of plant-eating dinosaurs, and this was speculated because of the marking on their teeth, which were similar to other dinosaur species with a herbivorous diet.

How aggressive were they?

Although not much is known about their aggression, it is possible that this species was quite docile, especially because it was a herbivore. However, it is also speculated that the males would get triggered by rival males and ruffle or raise their crest and feathers.

Did you know...

Oviraptorosaurs are so bird-like that some scientists thought of them as true birds. However, further evidence contradicted this and classified them as non-avian maniraptoran.

Could the Incisivosaurus fly?

No. Although the Incisivosaurus had feathers on its body, they were meant for display rather than flight. In addition, their body structure was not suitable for flying and the analysis of their skull bones also suggested that their bones were not as porous as other oviraptorosaurs, which is a key requirement to be able to fly.

How was the Incisivosaurus discovered?

The first fossils of this species were discovered in 2002 in the Yixian formation near the Beipiao City in China.

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 Nyasasaurus facts and Diclonius facts pages.

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

*The first image is an illustration by Tomopteryx

*The second image is an illustration by Nobu Tamura