Fun Yulong Dinosaur Facts For Kids

Fossils of Yulong mini from 66-72 million years ago were excavated from the Qiupa Formation located in the Henan Province in China. This chicken-sized oviraptorid theropod that belonged to the Late Cretaceous epoch is the sole member of the Yulong genus. In 2013, a team of professional researchers like Junchang Lü, Li Xu, Songhai Jia, Xingliao Zhang, Hanyong Pu, and ‬Philip J. ‬Currie first named the specimen. The dinosaur genus was named 'Yulong' that came from the amalgamation of the Chinese 'Yu' and the suffix 'long'. Some of these researchers believe that this Chinese dinosaur had some body feathers, although no traces of feathers could be found embedded in the fossil remains. However, the species was also considered to be one of those sedentary non-avian dinosaurs. Many contradictory observations are persistent due to the lack of sufficient data. However, rather than hunting on other animals or dinosaurs, the Yulong was easy prey for larger predatory dinosaurs like the ferocious Tyrannosaurus rex due to its minuscule size.

If you intend to learn some fun facts about the oviraptorid species of China, then keep indulging. Make sure to read through some more of these amazing facts about the Halszkaraptor and Serikornis.

How do you pronounce 'Yulong'?

The best way to pronounce the name is by breaking it up into the short and simple disyllabic 'Yu-long'.

What type of dinosaur was a Yulong?

These dinosaurs were oviraptorid theropods from the Late Cretaceous Qiupa Formation in China.

In which geological period did the Yulong roam the earth?

Although the geological period of the Qiupa Formation cannot be stated with accuracy, it is believed that the existence of the Yulong mini-dates back to the Late Cretaceous era. Fossil remains of other dinosaurs such as the dromaeosaurid name Luanchuanraptor, alvarezasurid Qiupanykus, and ornithomimid identified as Qiupalong has been retrieved from the site. Some other unidentified dinosaur specimens had also been extracted from the site.

When did the Yulong become Extinct?

Approximately 65 million years ago, every species of non-avian dinosaurs ceased to exist. Perhaps, the Yulong also perished around the same time.

Where did a Yulong live? 

The fossil remains of Yulong mini were unearthed from a site near the Qiupa town, situated in Luanchuan County in the Henan Province of central China.

What was a Yulong's habitat? 

Since the Yulong mini belongs to the Oviraptoridae family, it is believed to share a terrestrial ecosystem.

Who did a Yulong live with?

Researchers are still unaware of the social behavior of the Yulong mini. It is unknown whether the dinosaur stayed aloof or dwelled in flocks for safety.

How long did a Yulong live?

The exact lifespan of the Yulong cannot be mentioned, but it can be said that these dinosaurs were short-lived and often perished due to the presence of atrocious predators.

How did they reproduce?

The Yulong mini engaged in oviparous breeding. Like the birds, the female dinosaurs lay eggs after mating with their partners during the breeding season. Females incubate the eggs until the young hatches. Dinosaur parents usually do not engage in nurturing or feeding their offspring. Information about the breeding habits, courtship rituals, and gestation period of the species is currently unavailable.

What did a Yulong look like?

As the name describes, the Yulong mini exhibited a tiny size. Junchang Lü mentioned that the species had the appearance of a chicken, but it also possessed a tail. It had a longer thigh bone when compared to the ilium. Some researchers believe that it had feathers, too, but there's no fossilized evidence to prove this. Instead of a reptile-like appearance, the Yulong supposedly resembled a bird just like the Eosinopteryx brevipenna of China (from the Late Jurassic era).

How many bones did a Yulong have?

Five specimens were discovered from the excavation site, but only one was almost complete and in its best state. Hence, the number of bones that constructed the entire skeleton couldn't be determined.

How did they communicate?

Communication among the Yulong mini was perhaps similar to the other dinosaurs. Interactions were mostly via sounds and calls.

How big was a Yulong? 

An average Yulong size went up to just 0.8-1.6 ft (25-50 cm) in length. It is almost minuscule when contrasted with the immense size of the Gigantoraptor measuring 26 ft (8 m) in length and 11.5 ft (3.5 m) in height.

How fast could a Yulong move?

Since the Yulong was pretty lightweight, one can safely conclude that it was thrifty in its movements. However, the speed range of the species is yet to be deciphered.

How much did a Yulong weigh?

The Yulong mini is so small that it is comparable to the size of an average chicken. Therefore, it can be inferred that these dinosaurs did not possess much weight.

What were the male and female names of the species?

Both male and female dinosaurs lack special designations.

What would you call a baby Yulong?

In general, baby dinosaurs have no specific names, but you can surely call them hatchlings since these babies hatch from eggs.

What did they eat? 

Not much is known about the Yulong diet. Some believe that the dinosaur was omnivorous since its jaw structure was sturdy enough to devour meat. Some authors are of the view that since the hindlimbs of the oviraptorids remain unaffected by growth, these dinosaurs led a sedentary life and perhaps were herbivorous.

How aggressive were they?

It is very difficult to believe that these tiny dinosaurs could be aggressive, but there's no factual evidence to make conclusive statements about their behavior. However, they were mostly at the receiving end owing to their mini size, as many other deadly dinosaurs feasted on the Yulong.

Did you know...

Till now, the Yulong mini is considered to be one of the smallest dinosaur species that roamed the earth million years ago.

What does 'Yulong' mean in Chinese?

The Chinese 'Yu' or '豫' is actually an abbreviation used for the Henan Province, whereas, the suffix 'long' stands for 'dragon'. The suffix was commonly used for naming Chinese dinosaurs. The term 'mini' has been attributed because of the small size of these dinosaurs.

What specimens are the Yulong known from?

The Yulong genus is composed of five successive specimens, namely HGM 41HIII-0107, HGM 41HIII-0108, HGM 41HIII-0109, HGM 41HIII-0110, and HGM 41HIII-0111. HGM 41HIII-0107 constitutes a very well-preserved complete skeletal framework with lower jaws and a skull. The Henan Geological Museum has preserved it. The HGM 41HIII-0108 comes only with the skull, and the jaws are absent. Both the lower jaws and skull are present in the partial skeleton that makes up HGM 41HIII-0109. HGM 41HIII-0110 is composed of the lower jaws, a few pieces of the neck vertebrae, and an incomplete skull. Lastly, HGM 41HIII-0111 only has the left ilium. Additionally, one well-preserved embryo specimen constitutes HGM 41HIII-0301. It was part of a clutch comprising 26 eggs.

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 Buriolestes facts, and Heterodontosaurus facts for kids.

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

Second image is by Junchang Lü, Laiping Yi, Hui Zhong, Xuefang Wei

We've been unable to source an image of Yulong and have used an image of theropod instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Yulong, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected]