Fun Tongtianlong Facts For Kids

The southern part of China has seen the discoveries of many different dinosaur species over the years.

One such discovery was that of a feathered dinosaur fossil that was once stuck into the engulfing muds of the area. Tongtianlong, an oviraptorid dinosaur species was mistakenly discovered after a TNT blasting at a building site where the fossilized skeleton was collected.

From the lateral view of the skeletal posture, it could be assumed that the dinosaur had tried a failed attempt to flee from getting buried into the mud. Like the other Asian oviraptorid dinosaurs, the Tongtianlong was also dug out from the mudstones of the Nanxiong Formation of southern China.

How do you pronounce 'Tongtianlong'?

It is pronounced as 'Tong-te-an-long'.

What type of dinosaur was a Tongtianlong?

Tongtianlong is one among the many oviraptorid dinosaur species discovered from the fossilized remains of the Nanxiong Formation in China.

In which geological period did the Tongtianlong roam the Earth?

The fossils of the Tongtianlong date back to the Late Maastrichtian epoch of the Upper Cretaceous period.

When did the Tongtianlong become Extinct?

The evidence from fossils suggests that the Tongtianlong were last found approximately 66.7 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period.

Where did Tongtianlong live?

These feathered dinosaurs of Late Cretaceous diversification inhabited southern China, specifically the Ganxian District of Jiangxi Province.

What was the Tongtianlong's habitat?

It is thought that they could adjust well in a wide range of habitats, both terrestrial and aquatic.

Who did the Tongtianlong live with?

Tongtianlongs shared their habitat with other animals and dinosaur species belonging to that geological time.

How long did a Tongtianlong live?

Sufficient information is unavailable about their lifespan.

How did they reproduce?

Proper evidence is missing about their reproductive behavior.

What did the Tongtianlong look like?

It had a feathered body and a well-defined skull. The bony crest of the skull was dome-like, tapering towards the toothless mouth having a sharp beak.

How many bones did a Tongtianlong have?

Although exact information is unknown, the fossilized skeleton had the skull and spines intact.

How did they communicate?

No information is available regarding their communication.

How big was the Tongtianlong?

The size of these Asian oviraptorid dinosaurs was comparable to that of a sheep. They were approximately 6.5 ft (2 m) long.

How fast could a Tongtianlong move?

Proper information about their speed is unavailable.

How much did a Tongtianlong weigh?

Their approximate weight is unknown.

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names for males and females.

What would you call a baby Tongtianlong?

No separate names were assigned.

How aggressive were they?

Relevant information is unavailable. It is unknown if they were deadly, had a tendency to bite or had strong teeth.

Did You Know…

The word Tongtianlong means 'road to heaven'.

It is a new genus of the Late Cretaceous diversification of the Asian oviraptorid dinosaurs.

The fossilized skeleton of the dinosaur was found in an unusual posture depicting the last effort to escape from the mud deposition of that period.

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

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