Are Ostrich from Dinosaurs?
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Ostriches are odd-looking creatures, but did you know they’re related to a dinosaur species from the late Cretaceous period? And, when you think about it, this makes sense, because ostriches do have a dinosaur-like appearance.
Their overall size and shape resemble a few dinosaur species, including the infamous velociraptor; even their talons are claw-like. This remarkable bird, now native to Africa’s plains, has survived a slew of extinction events, having roamed the planet for over 66 million years.
According to records and research, there could have been up to 14 Dinosaur-Ostrich forefathers. The relationship of the African Species is clear, but a large number of Asian Species can only be described from fragmentary remains, and their relationship with the African Species is unknown. The ostrich is thought to have gone extinct in China around the last ice age.
Ornithomimids were a distinct group of theropod dinosaurs that exhibited convergent evolution with ratite birds like ostriches. They were not as strongly linked to birds as the Dromaeosauridae, but they were still representatives of the well-supported Coelurosauria group, which included birds. Ornithomimids are fascinating and useful because of the data they can provide about the origins of birds.
Dromiceiomimus
Dromiceiomimus was first discovered and named in 1924, in Alberta Canada. This dinosaur closely resembled the modern day Emu of Australia, which is why it was named Dromiceiomimus which means ”Emu Mimic”. Dromiceiomimus was an Ornithomimosaur, or ostrich like dinosaur. The Ornithomimosaurs, which came in a variety of species where all very similar to one another. They typically had toothless beaks, longer slender fingers, and were bipedal, meaning they walked on only two legs. Dromiceiomimus’ were longer than most other Ornithomimosaurs.
- What is this dinosaur’s name? Dromiceiomimus
How do I pronounce it? Drom-es-say-owe-mim-uss - What does its name mean? Emu Mimic
How long was this dinosaur? 11.00 feet, 3.50 meters - How heavy was this dinosaur? 256.00 pounds
- What class was this dinosaur assigned to? Theropoda
What did this dinosaur eat? Plants And Animals - How many years ago did this dinosaur live? 65,000,000 Years Ago
- In what period did this dinosaur live? Late Cretaceous
- Where did this dinosaur live? Alberta, North America
Gallimimus
Gallimimus was an Ornithomimosaur, or ostrich like dinosaur. The Ornithomimosaurs, which came in a variety of species where all very similar to one another. They typically had toothless beaks, longer slender fingers, and were bipedal, meaning they walked on only two legs. Gallimimus’ name, which means Chicken Mimic, is misleading. Gallimimus was not a small chicken like dinosaur. It was actually one of the largest of its type of Dinosaurs discovered. Gallimimus had a small head, well suited for digging in the mud, looking for insects and grubs. It is likely that this bird like dinosaur also ate seeds and just about anything it could find.
- What is this dinosaur’s name? Gallimimus
- How do I pronounce it? Gal-ee-mim-uss
- What does its name mean? Rooster Mimic
- How long was this dinosaur? 20.00 feet, 6.00 meters
- How heavy was this dinosaur? 875.00 pounds
- What class was this dinosaur assigned to? Theropoda
- What did this dinosaur eat? Plants And Animals
- How many years ago did this dinosaur live? 65,000,000 Years Ago
- In what period did this dinosaur live? Late Cretaceous
- Where did this dinosaur live? Asia, Mongolia
Ornithomimus
Ornithomimus would have looked much like a modern day Ostrich, which is why it was named Ornithomimus, which means ”Bird Mimic”, or ”Bird Copier”. Ornithomimus had bird like feet, and was bipedal, meaning that it walked on two legs. Its arms ended with long slender fingers. Ornithomimus had a large brain, and a toothless beak. It is believed that this dinosaur probably was an omnivore, meaning that it ate just about anything that it could find, both plants, like seeds and berries, as well as animals, like grubs, insects, and worms.
- What is this dinosaur’s name? Ornithomimus
- How do I pronounce it? Or-nith-owe-mim-uss
- What does its name mean? Bird Mimic
- How long was this dinosaur? 20.00 feet, 6.00 meters
- How heavy was this dinosaur? 350.00 pounds
- What class was this dinosaur assigned to? Theropoda
- What did this dinosaur eat? Plants And Animals
- How many years ago did this dinosaur live? 70,000,000 Years Ago
- In what period did this dinosaur live? Late Cretaceous
- Where did this dinosaur live? Arizona, Colorado, Mongolia, Montana, North America
Struthiomimus
Struthiomimus was an Ornithomimosaur, or ostrich like dinosaur. The Ornithomimosaurs, which came in a variety of species where all very similar to one another. They typically had toothless beaks, long slender fingers, and were bipedal, meaning they walked on only two legs.
The name Struthiomimus actually means Ostrich Mimic, or ostrich copycat. This Dinosaur was actually the firs Ornithomimosaur to be discovered. Like other members of this group, it is believed that Struthiomimus probably ate bugs, seeds, berries, and just about anything else it could find.
- What is this dinosaur’s name? Struthiomimus
- How do I pronounce it? Strew-thee-owe-mim-uss
- What does its name mean? Ostrich Mimic
- How long was this dinosaur? 13.00 feet, 5.00 meters
- How heavy was this dinosaur? 310.00 pounds
- What class was this dinosaur assigned to? Theropoda
- What did this dinosaur eat? Plants And Animals
- In what period did this dinosaur live? Late Cretaceous
- Where did this dinosaur live? New Jersey, Alberta, North America