Erlikosaurus Dinosaur is an extinct species of dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 135 million years ago, in what are now the Mongolia and China areas. It is a medium-sized herbivorous dinosaur, about six meters in length and two meters in height, which would have weighed around one tonne. The Erlikosaurus had long mandibles with dentition adapted to a herbivorous diet in which it likely ate low- or medium-height vegetation. It also had a robust skull and neck, as well as a short snout and beak. The neck was long and inflexible, allowing the dinosaur to reach far below ground level to browse for food.
Its large adductor muscles indicate that the Erlikosaurus may have been able to bite with a tremendous force. Erlikosaurus also had rather prominent supraorbital horns above the eyes which may have been used to identify the species of one another based on age and gender. Additionally, the horns could potentially have been a form of protection from dilophosaursids, theropods, and other predators, since they would have had a hard time getting through the horns in order to attack. The forelimbs of the Erlikosaurus are especially interesting, displaying five digits. It has been suggested that this dinosaur had a form of push-up posture in which it would tense its forelimbs to raise its head and chest from the ground and allowing it to browse more easily from shrubs or trees.
Erlikosaurus Facts :
| Name: | Erlikosaurus Dinosaurs |
| Size: | 6 meters |
| Main Facts: | Erlikosaurus, like some other sauropods, may have been a communally nesting species, with several adults leading herds in a protective formation. |
This is based on the fact that many dinosaur bones were found in a single location, suggesting that at least one adult Erlikosaurus was in charge of the group. Historically, the Erlikosaurus was first discovered in Mongolia in 1948. Its name derived from Erlik, a deity from Mongolian legend. Subsequent finds of the dinosaur were made in Mongolia, China, and even as far away as Inner Mongolia. The Erlikosaurus is perhaps most notable for being the first sauropod dinosaur discovered in Asia. This discovery opened up a whole new world of exploration in paleontology, as well as aiding in the understanding of sauropod dinosaur diversity in the Early Cretaceous period.
In conclusion, the Erlikosaurus is an interesting species of dinosaur and the only species of sauropods known to have existed in Asia during the Early Cretaceous period. The dinosaur's robust skeleton and powerful neck muscles show that it was capable of defending itself from predators, as well as browsing for its food from significantly low heights. The Erlikosaurus' discovery thus opened many new doors for exploration in the field of paleontology.
