Fun Tangvayosaurus Facts For Kids

The nature of the Tangvayosaurus, including its appearance, possibly led to its name being assigned, which roughly translates to the 'Tang Vay lizard'. However, the information available on their specific appearance and mannerisms continues to be scarce. For instance, there is no information regarding whether their teeth were sharp or if they were blunt enough owing to it being a herbivore. It is unknown how strong their teeth were.

Owing to its relation with sauropods, it is highly likely that a Tangvayosaurus was a creature of the Lower Cretaceous period that had a non-territorial nature. There were only two fossils, or rather specimens, of the Tang Vay lizard genus found by paleontologists in Laos.

Keep on reading to know and learn more about this genus and the Tangvayosaurus hoffeti!

How do you pronounce 'Tangvayosaurus'?

Tangvayosaurus is pronounced as 'Tang-vayo-saurus'

What type of dinosaur was a Tangvayosaurus?

Tangvayosaurus, meaning 'Tang Vay lizard', was a genus of a sauropod dinosaur. It was additionally a basal somphospondylan.

In which geological period did the Tangvayosaurus roam the Earth?

The Tangvayosaurus is said to have roamed the Earth during the Aptian-Albian Age. This Aptian-Albian Age belongs to the Lower Cretaceous period.

When did the Tangvayosaurus become Extinct?

There is no certainty regarding when the Tangvayosaurus had become Extinct. However, since it was a type of sauropod dinosaur, it might have reached extinction around the same time as them. 

Where did a Tangvayosaurus live?

The Tangvayosaurus, based on the places where its remains were found, lived in the Gres superieurs Formation that was found in Laos. 

What was a Tangvayosaurus's habitat?

A Tangvayosaurus' habitat was terrestrial in nature; that is, it lived and thrived as land animals. Moreover, the geographical location where their remains were discovered suggests that their habitat was savannah in nature and largely influenced by monsoon patterns. 

Who did a Tangvayosaurus live with?

It is unclear whether the Tangvayosaurus socially lived and traveled in packs or if they were solitary creatures. Moreover, being a sauropod dinosaur, it isn't easy to classify their social, behavioral patterns since each type of sauropod species has different social patterns. While some traveled in packs, often they grew more solitary with their advancing age. 

How long did a Tangvayosaurus live?

The life cycle of a Tangvayosaurus remains a mystery. 

How did they reproduce?

 There is no specific reported information on the reproductive mannerisms of Tangvayosauruses. However, being a sauropod, there is a probability that their reproduction would have been carried out by direct dispersals and would be mobile in nature. They were also oviparous in nature; that is, their offspring would hatch out of the eggs that they laid.

What did a Tangvayosaurus look like?

The fossils of the new genus found in Laos were not definitive or complete. Therefore, there is limited information about this sauropod dinosaur and its appearance. 

How many bones did a Tangvayosaurus have?

The fossils of the Tangvayosaurusthat had been unearthed suggested that they had a tail vertebra and a number of back vertebrae. They also found a pelvis along with a humerus. Moreover, one of the remains unearthed indicated the presence of 38 tail vertebrae, a hind limb, and also a neck vertebra. However, the exact number of bones that a Tangvayosaurus had has not been determined with surety owing to the limited fossils discovered.

How did they communicate?

Although there is limited information when it comes to the communication mechanisms used by Tangvayosauruses, the overwhelmingly friendly nature of sauropods would make it likely that they communicated using general dinosaurs' hoots.

How big was a Tangvayosaurus?

The Tangvayosaurus was a species that was about 49 ft (15 m) in length. They were only slightly smaller than the Gobititan.

How fast could a Tangvayosaurus move?

The speed of a Tangvayosaurus has not been determined yet.

How much did a Tangvayosaurus weigh?

The weight of an average Tangvayosaurus is unknown.

What were the male and female names of the species?

There have not been any specific distinctions made in the names of the Tangvayosaurus species based on their gender.

What would you call a baby Tangvayosaurus?

Tangvayosaurus, which technically means Tang Vay Lizards, laid eggs. But there has not been a different name made specifically for their offspring.

What did they eat?

The Tangvayosaurus was a herbivore. Further, research indicates that sauropods, possibly including Tangvayosauruses, ate ground-level vegetation and not the kind found on trees. 

How aggressive were they?

Sauropods have been rumored to be one of the friendliest kinds of dinosaurs. There has been no evidence that Tangvayosauruses departed from this characteristic of sauropods. Since the Tangvayosaurus was a herbivore, there is a possibility that they were not too aggressive towards smaller dinosaurs. The type species, Tangvayosaurus hoffeti, was first described by Ronan Allain's group of scientists.

Did You Know...

The type species of Tangavayosaurus is the Tangvayosaurus hoffeti and was named in 1999. However, there has been a dispute within the paleontology community where the new genus of Tangvayosaurus should have the older species known as Titanosaurus falloti.

*We've been unable to source an image of Tangvyayosaurus and have used an image of Brachiosaurus altithorax instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Tangvyayosaurus, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected]