Elmisaurus Facts
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Height | 0.8m |
| Length | 2m |
| Weight | 25 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | Mongolia |

| Diet | Omnivore |
| Height | 0.8m |
| Length | 2m |
| Weight | 25 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | Mongolia |
Elmisaurus was a distinctive theropod dinosaur that lived around 72 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Mongolia. This relatively small dinosaur walked on two powerful legs and belonged to a group of theropods known for their unusual beaked skulls and specialised feeding habits.
Standing roughly 80 centimetres tall at the hip and measuring about 2 metres in total length, Elmisaurus was roughly the size of a large ostrich. Its most remarkable feature was its feet, which gave the dinosaur its name meaning 'foot lizard'. These feet were particularly robust and well-adapted for its lifestyle, with strong claws that could have been used for digging or grasping.
As an omnivore, Elmisaurus likely had a varied diet that included small animals, eggs, plants, and possibly shellfish. Its beak-like jaws were toothless but powerful, allowing it to crack open tough foods like nuts, seeds, and mollusc shells. This feeding strategy made it quite different from the typical meat-eating theropods of its time.
Elmisaurus lived in the diverse ecosystem of the Nemegt Formation, sharing its habitat with famous dinosaurs like Tarbosaurus and various duck-billed dinosaurs. The environment was much warmer and more humid than modern Mongolia, with rivers, forests, and floodplains providing rich feeding opportunities for this adaptable theropod.
Elmisaurus had unusually robust and powerful feet with strong claws, giving it its distinctive name meaning 'foot lizard'. It possessed a toothless, beak-like skull typical of its family, and was built like a large, ground-dwelling bird with strong running legs.
Elmisaurus was likely an active forager that used its powerful feet and claws to dig for food, crack open shells, and grasp prey. It probably lived in small groups and was well-adapted for running across the varied terrain of Late Cretaceous Mongolia.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Saurischia |
| Order | Avetheropoda |
| Family | Caenagnathidae |
| Genus | Elmisaurus |
Elmisaurus was first described by Halszka Osmólska in 1981. The original fossils were discovered at Nemegt Formation, Mongolia.