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FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The Kryptops dinosaur, also known as Kryptops palaios, was a a basal abelisaurid. This dinosaur used to inhabit present-day Africa. The fossils of this species (Kryptops palaios) were found in the Gadaufaoua region in the Western Tenere desert in the Elrhaz Formation. The Kryptops used to live in deserts. It is from the Early Cretaceous period and from the discovered Kryptops fossil, we know that this dinosaur lived from 125 million years ago to 100.5 million years ago. Reproduction of this species, just like other dinosaurs, took place sexually with the female laying eggs after the male deposited sperm inside the body of the female.
This dinosaur had a textured maxilla and also had a narrow antorbital fossa. The average Kryptops size is estimated to be around 25 ft (762 cm). The diet is known to be carnivorous. Two palaeontologists, named Stephen Brusatte and Paul Sereno, described the dinosaur based on the holotype fossils of K. palaios that consisted of the maxilla, ribs, vertebrae, sacrum, and pelvic girdle. According to Sereno and Brusatte, this dinosaur is a basal abelisaurid.
Continue reading for more interesting Kryptops dinosaur facts. If you are interested about other dinosaurs, read our articles about the Austroraptor and Chilantaisaurus.
This dinosaur is pronounced as 'Krip-tops'.
It belongs to the abelisaurid theropod type as the classification data suggests.
This dinosaur used to live in the Early Cretaceous period according to the fossil data.
The exact time period of extinction of this dinosaur is not known.
This dinosaur used to inhabit present-day Africa. Fossil remains were found in the Elrhaz Formation.
The habitat of this dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period included deserts according to the evaluation of data.
No information is available about the social nature of this dinosaur. It is not known if it used to live in groups or alone.
It is known to have lived from 125 million years ago to 100.5 million years ago.
All dinosaurs reproduced sexually. The female dinosaur used to lay eggs that were fertilized by sperm that the males deposited inside the body of the female. The female would lay an egg and the baby dinosaur egg would hatch.
Certain features of the appearance of this dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period include an extremely textured maxilla (tooth-bearing bone surface). The Kryptops discovered had some impressions of blood vessels and pits which are considered evidence of a covering on the face. Scientists think this covering could have been made from keratin. It is believed that it had a narrow antorbital fossa.
The exact number of bones that this dinosaur had is not known.
Communication between dinosaurs took place through various sounds, gestures, and postures.
The estimated size of this dinosaur was around 25 ft (762 cm).
The speed of movement of this dinosaur is unknown.
No information is available about the weight of this dinosaur. However, this dinosaur was very big so we can assume that it was very heavy.
Males and females of this dinosaur species do not have any particular name.
A baby Kryptops, just like babies of other dinosaur species, is referred to as a hatchling.
This dinosaur was known to be a meat-eating dinosaur and had a carnivorous diet, according to the evidence. This would have included smaller dinosaurs.
The exact aggressiveness of this Theropoda cannot be determined but dinosaurs were quite aggressive and violent, in general.
The name Kryptops is known to mean 'covered face' referring to the tightly adhering covering of the face of this dinosaur.
The type species is known as Kryptops palaios and the specific name means 'old'.
Fossils of this dinosaur, Kryptops palaios, were found in the Gadaufaoua region in the western Tenere desert in the Elrhaz Formation.
This Cretaceous dinosaur was described by palaeontologists Stephen Brusatte and Paul Sereno in 2008.
Holotype fossils of this abelisaurid (Kryptops palaios) included a partial skeleton that consisted of the maxilla, ribs, vertebrae, and sacrum, and pelvic girdle.
It is believed that this dinosaur might be one of the oldest known abelisaurids. Another abelisaurid that is from the same formation as this dinosaur is the Eocarcharia. Cladistic analysis by Sereno and Brusatte has found that this dinosaur was the most basal abelisaurid.
Matthew Carrano and his colleagues in 2012 considered the Kryptops palaios a chimera. A chimera is an organism that is made up the cells of the two individuals that have joined together. It has two sets of DNA.
It is suspected that this dinosaur from the Theropoda genus preyed on the Ouranosaurus and Nigersaurus, suggested by the fossil study and data.
Kryptops is known to mean 'covered face'. It is in reference to the fact that the face of this dinosaur had a tight adhering according to the data from fossils.
Not a lot is known about the teeth of this member of Theropoda genus, but they were known to be quite strong. They needed to be strong because this dinosaur was a carnivore.
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 Ostafrikasaurus facts or Graciliraptor facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Kryptops coloring pages.
Main image by Paleocolour
Second image by Nobu Tamura
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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