Fun Omeisaurus Fact Facts For Kids

Commonly known as the Omei lizard, the Omeisaurus was a sauropod dinosaur that belonged to the Middle Jurassic Period, also known as the Bathonian-Callovian stage, which lasted from about 174.1-163.5 million years ago. Omeisaurus skeletal fossils were first discovered in the Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan Province, China.

The Omeisaurus dinosaur was first discovered in 1939 in the Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan Province, China, and since the discovery of the fossil was near the sacred mountain Omeishan, it came to be known as the Omeisaurus. The Omeisaurus skeleton was discovered in the late 20th century during the Chinese dinosaur rush. There were numerous species of Omeisaurus such as Omeisaurus junghsiensis, Omeisaurus changshouensis, Omeisaurus fuxiensis, Omeisaurus luoquanensis, Omeisaurus maoianus, Omeisaurus tianfuensis,Omeisaurus puxiani, and Omeisaurus jiaoi.

Omeisaurus tianfuensis had the longest neck and may have had a club tail, while the Omeisaurus fuxiensis was the tiniest of all. The average weight and length of this dinosaur were around 10.8 tons (9,800 kg) and 66 ft (20 m), respectively, while the Omeisaurus height is not known.

The long neck of Omeisaurus tianfuensis helped to grasp foliage easily. While the species had a very large appetite, it is said that these Chinese dinosaurs had the ability to consume around 1 ton (907 kg) of plants in a single day. Like other sauropods, the body of these dinosaurs was round. The skeleton is displayed at the Zigong Dinosaur Museum and the Beipei Museum in China.

Studies reveal that these Chinese dinosaurs, including Omeisaurus changshouensis, inhabited dense forests and were quite social, and different species occasionally shared habitats with each other. Dinosaurs such as the Omeisaurus prehistoric wildlife such as Yangchuanosaurus generally preyed upon smaller sauropods.

Let's read more fun facts about the history and discovery of Omeisaurus, and if you find this article interesting, don't forget to check out exciting facts about different dinosaurs like the Austroraptor and the Orodromeus.

How do you pronounce Omeisaurus?

You just have to divide the term into several syllables like 'oh-me-sore-us'.

What type of dinosaur was an Omeisaurus?

The Sichuan Omeisaurus dinosaur was a Sauropoda species that belonged to the Reptilia class, the Dinosauria clade, the family of Mamenchisauridae, and the Omeisaurus genus. There were numerous species of Omeisaurus. The Omeisaurus tianfuensis was the biggest, while the Omeisaurus fuxiensis was the tiniest of all. The creature is also known as the Omei lizard.

In which geological period did the Omeisaurus roam the earth?

They belonged to the Middle Jurassic Period, also known as the Bathonian-Callovian stage, which lasted from about 174.1-163.5 million years ago. Studies also revealed that the sauropod dinosaur was alive in the Late Jurassic period in locations in China.

When did the Omeisaurus become extinct?

The exact year of extinction is not known, but there are numerous factors, according to scientific studies that resulted in the extinction of sauropods and several other dinosaurs. These factors were volcanic eruptions, climate change, drought, asteroid impact, and other natural disasters

Where did an Omeisaurus live?

An Omeisaurus fossil was first found in the Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan Province, China. Since the discovery of the fossil was near the sacred mountain Omeishan, it came to be known as the Omeisaurus. Studies also reveal that these Chinese dinosaurs existed in the Late Jurassic period in several parts of China and eastern Asia.

What was an Omeisaurus' habitat?

The Omeisaurus junghsiensis, and other species, inhabited dense forests, whereas sauropods primarily inhabited swampy habitats such as lakes, ponds, and rivers.

Who did an Omeisaurus live with?

All species, including Omeisaurus tianfuensis, lived in groups. We can conclude that they were gregarious because we know about their communal nesting habits. Young Omeisaurus tianfuensis formed separate herds, while adults must have taken care of young ones after birth. Also, they must have formed pairs during the breeding season.

How long did an Omeisaurus live?

The exact life span is not known but is being evaluated by paleontologists. However, the species of the Omeisaurus genus are known to live longer due to their slow metabolism. Studies of fossils revealed that a few sauropod species may have lived for around 100 years.

How did they reproduce?

Like other members of the Mamenchisauridae family, Omeisaurus dinosaurs reproduced by laying eggs. Their mating patterns were very similar to modern-day reptiles and birds. Like modern-day animals, these Omeisaurus dinosaurs used to perform courtship displays to attract potential partners and it is also scientifically proven that males used to fight over females.

The incubation period was likely to have been between 65-85 days, while the litter size is not known. Recovered fossils suggest that the eggs of sauropods were no bigger than a modern adult goose egg and they weighed less than 11 lb (5 kg) after hatching.

What did an Omeisaurus look like?

The Omeisaurus dinosaur was one of the biggest dinosaurs of the Middle and Late Jurassic Period. Several fossils were discovered during the Chinese dinosaur rush which indicated that the Omeisaurus size was huge with a long neck. The species used its long neck to easily grasp foliage. There also have been rumors of an Omeisaurus clubbed tail, but no evidence has been gathered yet to support this rumor.

How many bones did an Omeisaurus have?

The exact number of bones of these Chinese dinosaurs is not known, but species such as the Omeisaurus tianfuensis must have had the highest number of bones. The fossils suggest that the length of the neck was around 30 ft (9 m) and had 17 vertebrae. The exact number of Omeisuarus teeth is not known and the Omeisaurus jaw size is not known either. The first fossil was discovered at the Mountain Emei, in the lower Shaximiao Formation of Sichuan Province in China.

How did they communicate?

All the species, including Omeisaurus luoquanensis and Omeisaurus maoianus, communicated in the same way as other dinosaurs. They used to communicate vocally and some researchers believed that they used to roar, but studies state this is not actually true. Like modern-day animals, they must have performed courtship displays during the breeding season to attract potential partners.

How big was an Omeisaurus?

The average weight of the Omeisaurus dinosaur is said to be about 10.8 tons (9,800 kg), while the Omeisaurus length was around 66 ft (20 m) with a very long neck. It is also said that this dinosaur was one of the biggest creatures of the Middle and Late Jurassic period. The dinosaur was bigger than the Magyarosaurus and the Moabosaurus.

How fast could an Omeisaurus move?

As per the fossil remains, it can be said that these Chinese dinosaurs would have walked, and the top walking or running speed of sauropods is estimated to be around 5 mph (8 kph).

How much did an Omeisaurus weigh?

The average weight of these dinosaurs is said to be around 10.8 tons (9800 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names given to male and female dinosaurs. The dinosaur is also called an Omei lizard.

What would you call a baby Omeisaurus?

Young or juvenile dinosaurs are known as hatchlings. Recovered fossils suggest that the eggs of sauropods were not bigger than a modern adult goose egg.

What did they eat?

The dinosaur was herbivorous and the Omeisaurus diet consisted of plants and leaves. Their spoon-shaped teeth helped in eating plants.

How aggressive were they?

Very little is known about the social behavior of the Omeisaurus, but in general, sauropods were quite gregarious. They didn't become violent without a specific reason, but some were quite territorial across their range and used to fight with intruders.

Did you know...

If there was a battle of Omeisaurus vs Mamenchisaurus, the former would surely win.

The Omeisaurus skull closely resembles the skull of the Camarasaurus.

There is controversy over whether this dinosaur had a club tail.

How did the Omeisaurus protect itself?

Generally, their huge-sized body would have helped to defend themselves from intruders and predators. Also, it is thought that these dinosaurs must have had something else to protect themselves with, such as a tail ending with a large bony club, but it is not proven yet.

Did the Omeisaurus take care of their babies?

Like other sauropods, the adult Omeisaurus protected young dinosaurs. Apart from the parents, other adult members of herds must have taken care of young ones.

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 Yinlong facts for kids.

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

Main image by Gary Todd

Second image by Gary Todd