GALLIMIMUS
Gallimimus bullatus
Meaning: "Chicken Mimic"
📊 STATS
Size comparison:
As long as a school bus!
📖 ABOUT GALLIMIMUS
Meet Gallimimus, the 'Chicken Mimic'! This super speedy dinosaur was like a giant, feathered bird, racing across the Cretaceous landscape!
Gallimimus, meaning 'Chicken Mimic,' was a fascinating dinosaur that lived about 70 million years ago in what is now Mongolia. Imagine a giant, ostrich-like creature, but much, much bigger! Gallimimus was a member of the Ornithomimidae family, which were all known for their bird-like features and incredible speed. They had long legs, long arms with strong claws, and a small head. They were built for running!
Scientists believe Gallimimus could reach speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour, making it one of the fastest dinosaurs ever! This speed likely helped it escape from predators like the fearsome Tarbosaurus. While initially thought to be a carnivore (meat-eater), some scientists now believe Gallimimus might have been an omnivore, eating plants and small animals. Its long arms and claws could have been used to rake through vegetation or catch small prey. Gallimimus had large eyes, suggesting it had excellent eyesight, which would have been useful for spotting danger and finding food.
🔬 CLASSIFICATION
- Group
- Theropoda
- Family
- Ornithomimidae
- Period
- Late Cretaceous (100-66 Ma)
- Era
- 70.0 - 66.0 million years ago
🗺️ DISCOVERY
- Year
- 1972
- Discovered by
- Rinchen Barsbold
- Location
- Gobi Desert, Mongolia
- Fossils found in
- Mongolia
🎨 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION
Artistic reconstruction of Gallimimus based on fossil evidence
🗺️ WHERE FOSSILS WERE FOUND
Mongolia
🤓 FUN FACTS
- ✨ Gallimimus got its name because its neck vertebrae looked similar to those of a chicken!
- ✨ This dinosaur appeared in the movie 'Jurassic Park' during the famous stampede scene!
- ✨ Gallimimus had a long, bony beak, but no teeth!
- ✨ Scientists think Gallimimus might have had feathers, making it look even more bird-like!
- ✨ Fossils of Gallimimus have only been found in Mongolia!
💡 DID YOU KNOW?
Get this: baby Gallimimus bones have been found! This helps scientists understand how these speedy dinosaurs grew from tiny hatchlings to giant runners!
