Erlikosaurus

Name: Erlikosaurus

Pronounced: Er-lick-o-sore-us

Meaning: Erlik's lizard

Type: Small Theropod

Length: 3.4 meters long

Diet: Herbivore

Period: Late Cretaceous

Years: 99-89 million years ago

Location: Mongolia

Description: Erlikosaurus is a genus of small to medium-sized, herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 95-85 million years ago. It was a member of the group of dinosaurs called thetherizinosaurids, which includes a diverse group of animals that are characterized by their small to medium size, herbivorous diets, and distinctive anatomy. Erlikosaurus was a small to medium-sized dinosaur, with an estimated length of about 8-10 feet and a weight of up to 1 ton. It had a small, triangular head with a pair of large, forward-facing eyes and a mouth full of small, grinding teeth. It had a long, slender body, with short, powerful legs and a long, flexible tail. Erlikosaurus is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several complete skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this dinosaur. It is known from Mongolia, and is named after the mythical Erlik, a deity in Mongolian mythology associated with death and the underworld. Erlikosaurus was a herbivorous dinosaur, feeding on a variety of plants including ferns, cycads, and conifers. It is considered a primitive therizinosaurid, and is thought to be closely related to other members of this group such as Therizinosaurus and Beipiaosaurus. Erlikosaurus is important because it is one of the few known therizinosaurids that is known from well-preserved fossil specimens, and provides important evidence for the evolutionary relationships and diversity of these animals. It is also significant because it is one of the few known dinosaurs that is known from Asia, and helps to shed light on the diversity of dinosaurs in this region.

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