Gobihadros

Gobihadros is an exceptionally well-preserved basal hadrosauroid dinosaur discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Dating to the early Late Cretaceous, it is known from several articulated skeletons that include virtually the entire skeleton along with skin impressions. Reaching approximately seven metres in length, it was an agile mid-sized browser capable of moving on all fours or rearing onto two legs to reach taller foliage. Gobihadros shows an intriguing intermediate anatomy: its jaws bore complex grinding tooth batteries typical of duck-billed dinosaurs, yet its forelimbs still bore a small spike-like thumb claw reminiscent of early iguanodontians. Because it was found across multiple growth stages, Gobihadros has given researchers unprecedented insight into how duck-billed dinosaur skeletons matured.

It retained a rudimentary conical claw on its thumb, a feature lost in later true duck-billed dinosaurs.

Where and when

Gobihadros lived in the Late Cretaceous, from 96 to 89 million years ago (Cenomanian-Turonian age). Its remains come from Mongolia, in the Bayan Shireh Formation.

The numbers

Length 7.3 m (estimates run from 7 to 7.5 m). Mass about 1.9 t. Hip height about 2.2 m. That is 4.3 human-lengths, or 0.65 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from near-complete skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, first ma, last ma, hip height.

Compare Gobihadros with a bus Place on the timeline