Fun Yurgovuchia Facts For Kids

Moumita Dutta
Oct 20, 2022 By Moumita Dutta
Originally Published on Apr 14, 2022
Edited by Luca Demetriou
Fact-checked by Sakshi Raturi
Yurgovuchia facts are interesting for kids.

Yurgovuchia is a type of theropod dinosaur genus that evolved on earth during the Early Cretaceous period. Their remains were excavated from Utah in North America and the genus consists of only one type of species.

The generic name is derived from the Ute word yurgovuch which means coyote. The type species was called Y. doellingi to honor the geologist Helmut Doelling for his contributions to the Utah Geological Survey.

The new dinosaurs were described as new dromaeosaurids. Their fossil elements were discovered for the first time in 2005 from the bone bed in Grand County in Utah.

Their name translates to coyote and was named so since they lived in the same region that's inhabited by coyotes at present. They existed from 139 million years ago up to 134.6 million years ago.

Their fossil was discovered from the upper part of Doelling's bowl bone bed in Utah and the bone bed is located in the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation. To know more facts about the dinosaur, keep reading the article.

Yurgovuchia Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Yurgovuchia'?

The name Yurgovuchia is pronounced as 'Yur-go-vu-che-ah'.

What type of dinosaur was a Yurgovuchia?

The Yurgovuchia is a type of therapod dinosaur that is classified as one of the Dromesaurines. They represent a genus of advanced dromaeosaurines and were closely related to the Dromaeosaurus,  Achillobator, and Utahrapto. The genus name means coyote, a predator of similar size, which inhabits the same region currently as Yurgovuchia.

In which geological period did the Yurgovuchia roam the Earth?

The Yurgovuchia lived during the Early Cretaceous period. The genus dates back to the Valanginian and Barremian ages of the Early Cretaceous.

When did the Yurgovuchia become extinct?

The Yurgovuchia became extinct around 125 million years ago probably during the Barremian age of the Early Cretaceous.

Where did Yurgovuchia live?

The Yurgovuchia was a theropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Early Cretaceous period. The Cedar Mountain Formation from where their fossils were discovered is located in Eastern Utah.

What was the Yurgovuchia's habitat?

The Yurgovuchia lived in terrestrial habitat, this type of habitat range from forests to coastal lands.

Who did the Yurgovuchia live with?

The discovery of Yurgovuchia from a bone bed might suggest that this small dinosaur lived in hers to ensure protection from large predators.

How long did a Yurgovuchia live?

The evolution of Yurgovuchia occurred during the Valaginian stage of the early cretaceous and they lived up to 125 million years. The dinosaur existed for four million years approximately.

How did they reproduce?

The Yurgovuchia was oviparous in nature, they reproduced by laying eggs like all other dinosaurs.

Yurgovuchia Fun Facts

What did the Yurgovuchia look like?

The Yurgovuchia is represented by the discovery of the postcranial remains of a single species called Yurgovuchia doellingi. They could be differentiated from other dromaeosaurids with the help of certain characteristics.

Each side of their axial centrum had a single pneumatophore. the pubis was devoid of pubic tubercle and the caudal prezygapophyses are elongated towards the transition point. The cranial faces of the caudal vertebrae are shaped round and the third cervical vertebra is not beveled.

How many bones did a Yurgovuchia have?

The bones of the Yurgovuchia are known from a single specimen only, not any second species. The only known specimen remains include partial post-cranial skeletons like the tail skeleton, caudal vertebrae, cervical vertebra, dorsal vertebra, and the proximal end of the left pubis.

How did they communicate?

A dinosaur usually communicated by making sounds and vocalizations. The Yurgovuchia also communicated in the same way probably.

How big was the Yurgovuchia?

The average length of a Yurgovuchia is measured to be around 8.2 ft (2.4 m), three times smaller than a Yimenosaurus.

How fast could a Yurgovuchia move?

A Yurgovuchia was comparatively a small dinosaur similar to the size of coyotes. They could move at a moderate speed but their speed is unknown.

How much did a Yurgovuchia weigh?

The weight of a Yurgovuchia has not been determined.

What were the male and female names of the species?

The male and the female species do not have any particular names, both of them were referred to as Yurgovuchia.

What would you call a baby Yurgovuchia?

A baby Yurgovuchia is called a nestling or a hatchling.

How aggressive were they?

The Yurgovuchia were carnivorous in nature. They were quite aggressive compared to their size.

Did You Know…

The Yurgovuchia was named and described for the first time by several paleontologists in 2012. The type species is named in honor of Helmut Doelling for his contribution to geological research for 50 plus years.

*We've been unable to source an image of Yurgovuchia and have used an image of Styracosaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Yurgovuchia, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.

*We've been unable to source an image of Yurgovuchia and have used an image of Lesothosaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Yurgovuchia, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com

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Written by Moumita Dutta

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

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Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.

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Fact-checked by Sakshi Raturi

Postgraduate Diploma in Management

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Sakshi RaturiPostgraduate Diploma in Management

Sakshi has experience in marketing strategy, social media planning, and recruiting industry experts for capstone projects, she has displayed a commitment to enhancing their skills and knowledge. She has won multiple awards, including a Certificate of Appreciation for Creative Writing and a Certificate of Merit for Immaculate Turut, and is always seeking new opportunities to grow and develop.

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