Gigantspinosaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GigantspinosaurusTemporal range: Late Jurassic
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| Skeletal mount of Gigantspinosaurus in the Zigong Dinosaur Museum | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | †Ornithischia |
| Suborder: | †Stegosauria |
| Genus: | †Gigantspinosaurus |
| Type species | |
| Gigantspinosaurus sichuanensis Ouyang, 1992
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Gigantspinosaurus (say: Jy-GANT-oh-SPY-noh-SAWR-us) was a type of dinosaur that lived a long, long time ago. Its name means "giant-spined lizard," which is a great description because it had some really big spines! This plant-eating dinosaur was a member of the stegosaur family, just like the famous Stegosaurus. It roamed the Earth during the Late Jurassic period, about 160 million years ago, in what is now Sichuan, China.
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About Gigantspinosaurus
Gigantspinosaurus was a medium-sized stegosaur. It was about 13 feet (4 meters) long. That's roughly the length of a small car! It weighed around 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms).
Like all stegosaurs, Gigantspinosaurus was an ornithischian dinosaur. This means it had hips shaped a bit like a bird's. It walked on four legs and ate plants.
What it Looked Like
The most striking feature of Gigantspinosaurus was its huge shoulder spines. These spines were very long and pointed. They likely stuck out from its shoulders, possibly for defense.
Besides the large shoulder spines, it also had smaller plates and spikes along its back and tail. These were typical features for stegosaurs. Its head was small, and its teeth were shaped for munching on plants.
Where and When it Lived
Gigantspinosaurus lived during the Late Jurassic period. This was a time when many large dinosaurs roamed the Earth. It lived in what is now the Sichuan Province of China.
Fossils of Gigantspinosaurus were found in the Shaximiao Formation. This area is known for many dinosaur discoveries. It tells us about the ancient environment where these dinosaurs lived. The climate was likely warm and humid, with lots of plants for herbivores to eat.
Discovery
The first and only known skeleton of Gigantspinosaurus was found in 1989. It was discovered in Sichuan, China. The dinosaur was officially named and described in 1992 by a scientist named Ouyang Hui.
The skeleton was almost complete, which is rare for dinosaur fossils. This allowed scientists to learn a lot about its body. It helped them understand how this unique stegosaur fit into the dinosaur family tree.
Images for kids
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Shoulder spine
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Restoration of Gigantspinosaurus (middle) and other dinosaurs from the Shaximiao Formation
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Lower jaw
See also
In Spanish: Gigantspinosaurus sichuanensis para niños
