Gallimimus bullatos - Cretaceous Dinosaurs
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(gal-ih-my-muss)
"bird mimic""
Describer Barsbold, 1998
Also Known As --
Type of Species
Order Saurischia
SubOrder Theropoda
InfraOrder --
Micro-Order --
Family Ornithomimidae
Size 17 feet (5.2 meters) long
Period Late Cretaceous, 75 million years ago
Fossilsite Mongolia
Diet Carnivore
Gallimimus lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 75 million years ago, in what is now Mongolia. Gallimimus was named for its neck structure, which it was said to resemble that of a roster. This discovery was made by joint Polish/Mongolian expeditions in Mongolia during the 1960s. Compared to other ornithomimids, Gallimimus's skull was relatively small and its jaws were toothless. It had long and slender limbs and neck.
It is believed that Gallimimus was capable of great bursts of speed. It is estimated that Gallimimus could reach speeds of 40 miles per hour or more. Gallimimus was depicted as fast moving animal in the film Jurassic Park. Footprints and bone beds from ornithomimids suggest that these animals did live and run in groups.
