Neimongosaurus

Say it like this: “nay-MOHN-go-SOR-us”

Neimongosaurus yangi

Neimongosaurus ate plants and walked on two legs. It lived in the Late Cretaceous. Bones have been found in China.

Quiz me on Neimongosaurus

When: Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago
Named in: 2001 · Zhang, X. H.; Xu, X.; Zhao, X. J.; Sereno, P. C.; Kuang, X. W.; Tan, L.
Hip height: 0.8 m · 3 ft
Length: 2–3 m · 7–10 ft
Weight: 350 kg · 772 lb
Found in: China · Iren Dabasu
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two legs
Kind: sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
Family branch: Therizinosauroidea

The story in short

In 2001, X. H. Zhang and colleagues published the name Neimongosaurus. The name means “nei Mongol lizard.”

It lived in the Late Cretaceous (Campanian), roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Iren Dabasu Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Neimongosaurus at a length near 2–3 m, hips about 0.8 m high, and a body mass around 350 kg.

On the family tree it sits in Therizinosauroidea, among the theropod dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Alxasaurus

Alxasaurus elesitaiensis

Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago

Beipiaosaurus

Beipiaosaurus inexpectus

Early Cretaceous (Barremian) · roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago

Enigmosaurus

Enigmosaurus mongoliensis

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian · Turonian) · roughly 100.5 to 89.8 million years ago