Pinacosaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PinacosaurusTemporal range: Upper Cretaceous
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Ankylosaurinae
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Pinacosaurus
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Pinacosaurus (say "Pih-NAK-oh-SAWR-us") means "plank lizard." It was a medium-sized ankylosaur dinosaur. These dinosaurs lived about 80 to 75 million years ago. That was during the late Cretaceous Period. They roamed parts of Mongolia and China.
Scientists first named Pinacosaurus grangeri in 1933. Another possible species, Pinacosaurus mephistocephalus, was named in 1999. Many Pinacosaurus grangeri skeletons have been found. Most of these are young dinosaurs. They might have lived in groups, moving across their desert home.
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What Pinacosaurus Looked Like
Pinacosaurus was about five meters (16 feet) long. That's like a small car! It weighed up to two tonnes, which is about the same as two small cars. Its body was flat and low to the ground. It wasn't as heavily built as some other ankylosaurs.
Armored Head and Body
The head of Pinacosaurus was covered in bony plates. This is why it's called "plank lizard." Each nostril had several small holes. Scientists are not sure what these holes were for.
Its neck, back, and tail were also covered. They had armor made of bony plates called osteoderms. These plates had keels, which are like small ridges.
Eating Habits
Pinacosaurus had a smooth beak at the front of its mouth. It used this beak to bite off low-growing plants. Inside its mouth, it had rows of small teeth. These teeth helped slice the plants. After chewing, the food went into a very large gut. This helped the dinosaur digest tough plant material.
Defense Mechanisms
This dinosaur could also defend itself. It had a strong tail with a bony club at the end. Pinacosaurus could swing its tail club to hit attackers. This was a powerful way to protect itself from predators.
Images for kids
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Holotype skull of P. grangeri
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Holotype specimen of P. mephistocephalus
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The skull of a juvenile Pinacosaurus grangeri on the left, compared with those of Anodontosaurus lambei
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Snout morphology and diet of Mongolian ankylosaurids; P. grangeri in left
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Mass-mortality juveniles from Bayan Mandahu, showing quarry map
See also
In Spanish: Pinacosaurus para niños
