Fun Sinornithomimus Facts For Kids

Sinornithomimus is a genus consisting of ornithomimid dinosaurs that inhabited Asia through the Late Cretaceous period. It comprises only one species, Sinornithomimus dongi.

This genus was named in 2003 by Lü Junchang and Yoshitsugu Kobayashi. The generic name means 'Chinese bird mimic' and the specific name of the species honors the paleontologist Dong Zhiming.

It belongs to the clades Dinosauria, Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria, and Saurischia and is a member of the family Ornithomimidae. It was considered to be a primitive ornithomimosaur initially but is now considered to be more advanced as compared to early ornithomimosaurs such as Harpymimus.

However, it is not as advanced as the ones that existed throughout the Cretaceous period's end like Orithomimus. The first discovery of this genus was made by Dong Zhiming in the Ulansuhai Formation, located in Inner Mongolia, Northern China.

The fossils comprised many adults and juveniles. It consisted of 14 individuals, of which 11 were juveniles, and three were considered to be subadults.

The length of the adult is estimated to be 6.5 ft (2 m) and the weight is estimated to be 110 lb (49.8 kg). It looked unique due to its neck which was quite short as compared to its body.

It is assumed to have been herbivorous instead of omnivorous. It is also believed to have been quite gregarious as many skeletons of individuals have been discovered together.

Had fun, reading these fun facts? Keep reading to discover more facts about the Sinornithomimus size, wildlife, fossil remains, physical description, and more!

If you enjoyed reading our Sinornithomimus facts, you must check out our roar-some Jeholosaurus facts and Magnapaulia interesting facts as well!

Sinornithomimus Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Sinornithomimus '?

Sinornithomimus (Chinese bird mimic) can be pronounced as 'Sin-orn-ith-o-mime-us'.

What type of dinosaur was a Sinornithomimus?

Sinornithomimus was considered to be a primitive ornithomimosaur initially but is now considered to be more advanced as compared to early ornithomimosaurs such as Harpymimus. However, it is not as advanced as the ones that existed throughout the Cretaceous period's end like Orithomimus.

It belongs to the clades Dinosauria, Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria, and Saurischia. It also belongs to the family Ornithomimidae.

In which geological period did the Sinornithomimus roam the earth?

The nature of the Ulansuhai Formation is quite uncertain. However, it is estimated that Sinornithomimus existed through the Aptian to Albian stage or the Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous. The latter is generally accepted as their time period.

When did the Sinornithomimus become extinct?

This Late Cretaceous period creature is believed to have gone extinct 89.8 million years ago.

Where did a Sinornithomimus live?

The fossils of this genus were discovered in the Ulansuhai Formation in the Late Cretaceous strata located at Alshanzuo Banner in Northern China, specifically in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is assumed to have been endemic to present-day Asia as its fossils haven't yet been discovered anywhere else on Earth.

What was a Sinornithomimus's habitat?

Sinornithomimus is believed to have spent its time in mud in an aquatic habitat in China.

Who did a Sinornithomimus live with?

It is believed to have been quite gregarious as many skeletons of individuals have been discovered together. This implies that it preferred to move around in groups. Living in groups suggests that Sinornithomiinus figured it out that they could protect themselves better together from mighty predators such as Chilantaisaurus and Shaochilong.

How long did a Sinornithomimus live?

The lifespan of Sinornithomimus is not yet evaluated by paleontologists. However, we do know that they died from predation they couldn't escape from or from starvation. A few fossil remains excavated have been observed to be pulled about suggesting that they were fed upon.

How did they reproduce?

These ornithomimid dinosaurs are believed to have reproduced by laying eggs. It is assumed that the adults raised a significant number of juveniles every year as many of them did not survive past adulthood.

It is also speculated that ornithomimosaurs moved around in herds comprising families. However, two groups of fossil remains of juvenile Sinorithomimus excavated suggest that juveniles moved around freely and foraged for food on their own.

It is also assumed that juveniles might have left their parents and started living on their own.

After they have turned into adults, they would have formed herds comprising other adults, so as to form a pair and produce their own brood. This behavior can also be seen in present-day birds who raise multiple broods in a year and do not look after their young.

Sinornithomimus Fun Facts

What did a Sinornithomimus look like?

It is a renowned ornithomimosaur and is known from fossil remains of individuals including young, subadults, and adults. It is estimated to have attained a length of 6.5 ft (2 m) and a weight of 110 lb (49.8 kg).

Interestingly, it had quite a small head supported by a short neck. Its neck's length suggests that as ornithomimosaurs evolved, the necks they possessed got longer as they grew older.

How many bones did a Sinornithomimus have?

The total number of bones the Sinornithomimus possessed is not known yet. However, we do know that the first fossil remains discovery made by Dong Zhiming‭ comprised of 11 juveniles and three subadults.

Later on, an expedition discovered fossils of a group consisting of 13 juveniles were excavated. The group had only a few individuals that are assumed to be near adults. These individuals found together suggest that they preferred to move in herds.

How did they communicate?

It is not known how these ornithomimid dinosaurs communicated with each other. However, we do know that paleontologists have hypothesized that theropods communicated through coos, mumbles, and low-frequency rumbles.

How big was a Sinornithomimus?

It has been estimated by paleontologists that the Sinornithomimus might have attained a length of 6.5 ft (2 m). Its length is approximately double that of the Pisanosaurus which had an estimated length of 3.3 ft (1 m).

How fast could a Sinornithomimus move?

The exact speed of these creatures has not yet been estimated by researchers but we do know that ornithomimids were one of the fastest dinosaurs. However, we do know that theropods attained top speeds ranging between 4-7.4 mph (6.5-12 kph)!

How much did a Sinornithomimus weigh?

It is estimated to have attained a weight of 110 lb (49.8 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no sex-specific names assigned to the males and females of this species.

What would you call a baby Sinornithomimus?

The baby of species of this genus can be referred to as a hatchling or juvenile.

What did they eat?

The Sinornithomimus dinosaur is assumed to be a herbivore due to the presence of gastroliths. Gastroliths are quite prevalent in herbivores. However, it still remains a mystery whether they were herbivores or omnivores.

They also did not possess teeth. They had a beak that let allowed them to snip plants. They were mainly threatened by predatory carnivores like Chilantaisaurus and Shaochilong that co-existed with them.

How aggressive were they?

These ornithomimid dinosaurs weren't as large as the other carnivores that co-existed with them and it is assumed that they weren't quite aggressive.

Did you know...

Deinocheirus is assumed to be the largest ornithomimosaur that existed. It is believed so due to its 8.2 ft (2.5 m) long arms!

Was sinornithomimus a theropod?

This Late Cretaceous creature belongs to the clade Theropoda and is a theropod.

Where were the first remains of Sinornithomimus found?

The remains of these ornithomimid dinosaurs were found in the Ulansuhai Formation in the Late Cretaceous strata located at Alshanzuo Banner in Northern China, specifically in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

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 Velocipes facts and Melanorosaurus facts for kids.

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

Main image by Michael B. H.