Gilmoreosaurus Dinosaur is an extinct genus of herbivorous dinosaur in the family Ornithopoda. The type species, Gilmoreosaurus mongoliensis, lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 70–66 million years ago. It was discovered from the Iren Dabasu Formation of Inner Mongolia, China. Its remains consist of two partial skeletons and some fragmentary bones. Gilmoreosaurus is a medium-sized ornithopod, estimated to have been about 5m (16.4ft) long. Its skull is crushed and flattened, but its general form can still be inferred. The skull is low and wide when viewed from above. It possesses a moderately long snout, with a pointed muzzle, and large jaws capable of chewing tough foods. Its teeth are bulbous, serrated, and blade-like, possessing sharp points.
The body of Gilmoreosaurus was covered in long, pointed scales. Its neck was long and flexible, possessing an impressive range of movement. The tail was short and stiff, and the arms were short, ending in four-fingered hands. The legs were slightly longer than the arms, and the feet were three-toed with sharp claws. Gilmoreosaurus was both an herbivore and an omnivore, feeding on a variety of plant matter, including conifers, ferns, and cycads. It also consumed small animals such as insects and lizards. It is likely that it used its sharp teeth to shred foods before swallowing.
Gilmoreosaurus Facts :
| Name: | Gilmoreosaurus Dinosaurs |
| Size: | 5 meters (16.4 feet) |
| Main Facts: | It lived in an area of Asia populated by many predators, including the giant crocodiles Deinosuchus and Sarcosuchus, and the large theropod Tarbosaurus. |
Gilmoreosaurus was both an herbivore and an omnivore, feeding on a variety of plant matter, including conifers, ferns, and cycads. It also consumed small animals such as insects and lizards. It is likely that it used its sharp teeth to shred foods before swallowing. Gilmoreosaurus moved in either a bipedal or quadrupedal posture. While on two legs, it may have been able to reach up to browse on tree foliage. When on all fours, it was likely to have been agile and able to move quickly across open ground. Gilmoreosaurus was likely a social animal, and may have traveled in packs for protection.
Gilmoreosaurus is known to have coexisted with many other dinosaur genera, including Arrhinoceratops, Protoceratops, and Saurolophus. These animals likely formed a food-based ectotrophic association, where they ate plants from the same area and competed for limited resources. Gilmoreosaurus is an important genus that helped to provide more insight into the presence and abundance of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs in Asia. Along with its contemporaries, it is part of the larger group of ornithopods which were the most widely distributed group of vegetarian dinosaurs during the Mesozoic Era.
