Sinornithoides Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Sinornithoides Temporal range: Early Cretaceous

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Superorder:	†Dinosauria
Order:	†Saurischia
Suborder:	†Theropoda
Infraorder:	†Deinonychosauria
Family:	†Troodontidae
Genus:	† Sinornithoides Russell & Dong, 1993
Species
S. youngi Russell & Dong, 1993 (type)

Sinornithoides (say "SIGH-nor-nih-THOY-deez") means "Chinese bird form." It was a type of small, bird-like dinosaur called a troodontid. This dinosaur lived a very long time ago, during the Early Cretaceous period. That was about 130 to 125 million years ago! Sinornithoides was about 1 meter (3 feet) long, which is roughly the size of a large dog. It lived in a place called Inner Mongolia in China. Scientists think it probably ate small animals without backbones, like insects, and other tiny creatures.

What Was Sinornithoides?
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What Was Sinornithoides?

Sinornithoides was a theropod dinosaur. Theropods were dinosaurs that walked on two legs. Many famous dinosaurs, like Tyrannosaurus rex, were theropods. However, Sinornithoides was much smaller than T. rex. It belonged to a group called troodontids. These dinosaurs were known for their bird-like features. They also had large brains for their body size.

When Did It Live?

Sinornithoides lived during the Early Cretaceous period. This time was about 130 to 125 million years ago. The Cretaceous period was the last age of the dinosaurs. It ended about 66 million years ago. During the Early Cretaceous, Earth's continents were still moving apart. New types of plants were starting to appear.

Where Did It Live?

The only known fossils of Sinornithoides were found in Inner Mongolia, China. This area was part of a large landmass called Asia during the Cretaceous period. The environment there might have been warm and had forests. This would have been a good place for small dinosaurs to live.

What Did It Eat?

Scientists believe Sinornithoides was a carnivore, meaning it ate meat. Its teeth were small and sharp, good for catching tiny prey. It probably hunted small animals like insects, lizards, and maybe even small mammals. Its good eyesight and quick movements would have helped it catch food.