All About the Gallimimus: The Fastest Dinosaur Ever

Photo: Elenarts108 via Getty Images

The Gallimimus was one of the fastest dinosaurs ever to walk the Earth. It is thought that they may have been able to run as fast as 40 miles per hour!

They were also very agile, which helped them avoid predators. This week, we will take a closer look at this unique creature.

Gallimimus means "chicken mimic" in Latin. This name was given to the dinosaur because of its similarity to modern-day birds.

Description and Appearance

Gallimimus was two-legged, long-necked dinosaurs that lived in the Late Cretaceous period.

Their name comes from the Latin word 'gallus,' meaning chicken, and 'imitare,' pointing to imitate.

They were one of the most giant known dinosaurs, with some specimens measuring over 6 meters (20 feet) in length.

Gallimimus had a small head with large eyes, and their neck was lined with small, bony bumps.

They had three toes on each foot, and their tails were long and thin.

Gallimimus is considered a fast-running dinosaur and may have traveled in large herds.

They were probably omnivorous, eating both plants and small animals.

Gallimimus is one of the best-known dinosaurs due to its appearance in the film 'Jurassic Park.'

However, it is worth noting that this film's portrayal is inaccurate in several ways; for example, the Gallimimus in the movie have smaller heads and longer tails than those of real Gallimimus dinosaurs.

Diet

Gallimimus was a lightweight, fast-running theropod dinosaur that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous period.

It was one of the last surviving members of its family, the Ornithomimidae.

Gallimimus means "chicken mimic" in Latin, and it was given this name because its long neck and small head resembled a chicken's.

The Gallimimus was a herbivore that fed on leaves, fruits, and seeds.

It used its long neck to reach high branches and its toothless beak to pluck food from plants.

The Gallimimus was built for speed and could run up to 60 kilometers per hour.

It is thought that this dinosaur used its speed to escape predators such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Reproduction

Gallimimus dinosaurs were likely egg-layers, as is evidenced by the presence of eggshell fragments in fossilized nesting sites.

The size of the eggs suggests that they were probably laid by a large theropod, such as Gallimimus.

It is unclear how many eggs were laid at once, but given the size of the Gallimimus nest, it is likely that a small clutch of eggs was produced.

Once hatched, the young would have been cared for by their parents for some time.

It is thought that Gallimimus dinosaurs reached sexual maturity at around 4-5 years of age.

After reaching maturity, individuals would have mated and reproduced throughout their lifetime.

Although we cannot be sure about the specifics of Gallimimus reproduction, it is clear that these animals played an essential role in the ecosystem of their time.

Discovery

Photo: CoreyFord via Getty Images

The first fossil of Gallimimus was discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in 1965.

It was found by a team of Soviet paleontologists led by Evgeny Maleev.

Since then, many more fossils have been found in this region.

Fossils of Gallimimus have also been found in North America, although this is thought to be because these animals were able to travel long distances.

Gallimimus was a successful species that lived for over two million years.

However, like all dinosaurs, they eventually went extinct.

The exact cause of their extinction is unknown, but it is thought to be related to the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction event.

This event was caused by a comet or asteroid impact that resulted in the death of over 75% of all plant and animal species on Earth.

Although we will never know, the Gallimimus likely went extinct because of this event.

However, their legacy continues through their fossilized remains and their portrayal in popular culture.

Other Interesting Facts

• Gallimimus lived around 70-65 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period.
• They were first discovered in Mongolia in 1965 by a team of Soviet paleontologists.
• As mentioned before, Gallimimus is thought to have been one of the fastest dinosaurs, with the ability to run up to 40 miles per hour.
• They were probably social creatures and lived in large herds.
• Gallimimus is one of the most well-known dinosaurs due to its appearance in the film 'Jurassic Park.'
• Gallimimus means 'chicken mimic' in Latin.
• They are sometimes called 'ostrich dinosaurs' because of their similarities to the modern-day bird.
• The Gallimimus in 'Jurassic Park' was based on another dinosaur, the Oviraptor.
• Some scientists believe that Gallimimus may have feathers, but this debate is still controversial.

As you can see, the Gallimimus was a fascinating creature! Stay tuned for next week's post, where we will look closely at another fantastic dinosaur.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it! The Gallimimus was a fantastic creature that lived during the late Cretaceous period.

It was the fastest dinosaur that we know of and could run up to 60 miles per hour! Even though it was quick, it wasn't very big or strong.

But, its long neck and small head helped it to avoid being eaten by the bigger, stronger dinosaurs.

The Gallimimus is a fascinating creature that we are still learning about today. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed learning all about the Gallimimus as much as I did!

Cheers!

~GB