Monolophosaurus
Monolophosaurus was a meat-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now China. It had a long, bony crest on the top of its head, which might have helped it show off to other dinosaurs.1
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Fun facts
Monolophosaurus lived during the Middle Jurassic period, about 180 to 159 million years ago.1
Its name means 'single-crested lizard' because of the single crest on its head.1
The crest on its head was made from its nasal and lacrimal bones.2
The crest had empty spaces inside that connected to a hole in the front of its skull.2
Scientists think the crest was used for visual recognition by other Monolophosaurus dinosaurs.2
Its fossils were found in the Shishugou Formation in China, which is a rock layer from the Middle to Late Jurassic.4
Most asked questions about Monolophosaurus
?How big was Monolophosaurus?
Monolophosaurus was about 5 to 5.5 metres (16 to 18 feet) long and weighed around 475 kilograms (1,047 pounds).31
?What did Monolophosaurus eat?
Monolophosaurus was a carnivore, meaning it ate meat. It likely hunted smaller dinosaurs and other animals.1
?When did Monolophosaurus live?
Monolophosaurus lived during the Middle Jurassic period, about 180 to 159 million years ago.1
?Where was Monolophosaurus found?
Its fossils were found in the Shishugou Formation in Xinjiang, China.3
?Why did Monolophosaurus have a crest?
Scientists think the crest was used for visual recognition, to help Monolophosaurus recognize others of its own species. It might have also been used for display.23
?Is Monolophosaurus a dinosaur?
Yes, Monolophosaurus is a dinosaur. It is a type of theropod dinosaur, which means it walked on two legs and was a meat-eater.1
?How fast could Monolophosaurus run?
Nobody knows for sure. Scientists have not studied its leg bones in detail, so its speed is unknown.3
?Was Monolophosaurus bigger than T. rex?
No, Monolophosaurus was much smaller than T. rex. It was about 5 to 5.5 metres long, while T. rex could be over 12 metres long.3
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For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Monolophosaurus
- Named by
- Zhao and Currie 19944
- Group
- Meat-eating dinos
- Family / clade
- Allosauroidea4
- Classification
- Theropoda > Allosauroidea4
- Age of the rocks
- 165 to 162 million years (Callovian)4
- Rock formations
- Shishugou4
- Countries
- China4
- Fossil records
- 1 in the Paleobiology Database4
- Discovery
- Monolophosaurus was named by Chinese scientist Zhao Xijin and Canadian scientist Philip Currie in 1993. They found a skull and partial skeleton in the Junggar Basin of Xinjiang, China.2
- Still debated
- Scientists still debate exactly what kind of theropod Monolophosaurus was. Some think it was a type of allosauroid, but others are not sure.4
Where the facts come from
- Monolophosaurus | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
- A large crested theropod from the Jurassic of Xinjiang, People's Republic of China (cdnsciencepub.com)
- Monolophosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
- Monolophosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are dino fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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