Fun Zhongyuansaurus Facts For Kids

Are you interested in knowing about the history of when the dinosaurs existed? If so, then you'll surely like learning about Zhongyuansaurus, a dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period in a place that is now China. The type species of Zhongyuansaurus luoyangensis was first named in 2007, and the remains were assigned the holotype of HGM 41HIII-0002. Moreover, the remains of this Cretaceous era dinosaur including its partial skull, vertebrae fragments and other bone fragments are kept in China's Henan Province Geological Museum. The skull of this species is well-studied and is said to have had a nasal horn, while its tail probably ended in a club with a knob that was missing in the fossil.

How do you pronounce 'Zhongyuansaurus'?

The name is pronounced as 'Zhong-won-sore-us'.

What type of dinosaur was a Zhongyuansaurus?

The Zhongyuansaurus has been classified as one of the ankylosaurid dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period.

In which geological period did the Zhongyuansaurus roam the Earth?

It's said to have been present during the Early Cretaceous period or era.

When did the Zhongyuansaurus become Extinct?

These dinosaurs may have become extinct around 100.5 million years ago as the Albian age came to an end.

Where did Zhongyuansaurus live?

The fossil remains of this dinosaur were found in the Haoling Formation that's present in the Henan Province of China.

What was the Zhongyuansaurus' habitat?

This dinosaur lived in a terrestrial habitat.

Who did the Zhongyuansaurus live with?

It would have coexisted with other species of dinosaurs and animals that lived during that time such as the Luoyanggia.

How long did a Zhongyuansaurus live?

We don't have any information about its lifespan.

How did they reproduce?

Like other ankylosaurian dinosaurs, it would have reproduced by laying eggs.

What did the Zhongyuansaurus look like?

When it comes to the Zhongyuansaurus, certain features of the bones helped paleontologists to tell us a bit about its appearance. One of the characteristics is the presence of osteoderms on its body as protection. It also had a tail club along with an arrow-shaped bone on its skull that has been interpreted to be a nasal horn. Its tail is thought to have ended in a club with a knob.

How many bones did a Zhongyuansaurus have?

Although we don't know about the exact number of bones, the paleontologists were able to find quite a few remains including a partial skull, parts of the lower jaw, a cervical neural spine, pieces of the dorsal vertebrae and caudal vertebrae, pieces of ribs, a humerus, both pieces of ischia, pubis, and osteoderms.

How did they communicate?

It probably communicated by making noises.

How big was the Zhongyuansaurus?

We don't know how big this ankylosaur might have been. However, it wasn't the biggest dinosaur.

How fast could a Zhongyuansaurus move?

There's no information available about the characteristics of its movement.

How much did a Zhongyuansaurus weigh?

We don't have any estimate for its weight.

What were the male and female names of the species?

There were no specific names for the sexes of this dinosaur.

What would you call a baby Zhongyuansaurus?

A baby would have been called a hatchling.

How aggressive were they?

As a plant-eating herbivore, it wouldn't have been much aggressive.

Did You Know…

The genus name Zhongyuansaurus means 'Zhongyuan lizard', and the name is derived from an area named Zhongyuan.