The Chungkingosaurus was a herbivorous dinosaur from the Upper Shaximiao Formation in modern-day China. It lived during the Upper Jurassic period and is regarded as one of the smallest stegosaurus. The name Chungkingosaurus means “Chongqing lizard” in reference to the location where the first fossils were unearthed.
Key facts
| Domain | Description |
|---|---|
| Chungkingosaurus pronunciation | chung-ching-oh-sore-us |
| What does Chungkingosaurus mean? | Chongqing lizard |
| Dinosaur type | Ankylosauria |
| On the menu | Herbivorous |
| Length | 12 ft (3.8 meters) |
| Height | 5 ft (1.4 meters) |
| Weight | About 2000 lbs (1 ton) |
| Life expectancy | Unknown |
| Legs used to get around | Quadruped |
| Estimated top speed | Unknown |
| When they lived | Upper Jurassic era 159-142 million years ago |
| Where they have been found? | China |
When & Where
The first fossils of the Chungkingosaurus were discovered in 1977 near the Chongqing region in China. In the years that followed, in 1983, paleontologists Dong Zhiming, Zhou Shiwu, and Zhang Yihong named and described and named the remains. The Chungkingosaurus is estimated to have lived in the Late Jurassic era, about 160 million years ago.
Size & Weight
There is no known complete skeleton of the Chungkingosaurus. However, studies show that the Chungkingosaurus was a small-sized dinosaur that measured less than four meters. Records have its full length as an adult as 4-5 meters and an estimated weight of 1,000 to 3,000 kg. It had thick plates arranged in rows and spikes at the end of its tail, which purposefully defended it against larger predators.
Mobility & Diet
Similar to other known stegosaurus, the Chungkingosaurus was exclusively herbivorous. It had a deep snout and non-overlapping teeth that made it easier to feed on foliage. In the late Jurassic Period, the Chungkingosaurus would have been found in dense forests and grasslands where it grazed in the company of other stegosaurus.
Interesting Points
- The Chungkingosaurus had a spiked tail that it used to defend itself against predators.
- It is considered one of the smallest members of the stegosaurus dinosaurs.
- It closely resembles the Tuojiangosaurus and has, at times, often been grouped as the same species.
- A skeleton model of the Chungkingosaurus is set up in the Chongqing Municipal Museum.
Featured Image Credit: National History Museum