Archaeornithomimus

* Evolution 2
* Database
* Evolution

* Evolution 2
* Evolution

***Archaeornithomimus*** is a genus of ornithomimid dinosaur in the *Jurassic World Evolution* series. A close relative of *Gallimimus* and *Struthiomimus*, *Archaeornithomimus* originated from Late Cretaceous Asia.

In *Evolution*, *Archaeornithomimus* was added to the game with the Deluxe Dinosaur Pack. In Campaign Mode, the species can be unlocked with a high level of reputation with the Security Division on Isla Tacaño, and can subsequently be excavated at the Bissekty and Iren Dabasu Formations.

## History

Although *Archaeornithomimus* was not known to have been cloned by InGen, in 2015, Claire Dearing, the park manager of Jurassic World, once commented on the dinosaur's lengthy name to justify the naming of the *Indominus rex* as something that kids should be able to pronounce, much to the amusement of Owen Grady.

## Characteristics

*Archaeornithomimus* is an ornithomimid dinosaur related, and similar, to *Gallimimus* and *Struthiomimus*. However, *Archaeornithomimus* has a shorter snout and tail than the other members of its group, but it still has a sharp beak and long hind legs. Discovered from dig sites in China, its size – weighing between 110 lbs and reaches around 3.3 meters in length – and physical features led to its name, which translates to "*Ancient Bird Mimic*". *Archaeornithomimus* likely had an omnivorous diet consisting of everything from plants to eggs and even other juvenile dinosaurs. However, it was also prey animals for larger carnivores. The base genome is mainly a light beige at the bottom with black hands and legs. It has a greyish beige coloration, with streak of black at the middle of the body, from the eye orbit to the tail, an orange streak on top of the black streak, and a yellow streak on the back.

## Gameplay

### *Evolution*

#### Behaviour

Similar to others of its family, *Archaeornithomimus* is happy either alone or in herds. It tolerates other herbivores but will become stressed when the exhibit is overcrowded. It is rather defenceless against most carnivores, and rely on speed to escape their predator.

#### Skins

 NULL

 COASTAL

 JUNGLE

 RAINFOREST

 VIVID

 WETLAND

## Paleontology

Remains of *Archaeornithomimus* have been found across Asia, with fossils found in China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia. The first *Archaeornithomimus* fossils were excavated from the Iren Dabasu Formation in Inner Mongolia in 1923 when American explorer, adventurer and naturalist Roy Chapman Andrews unearthed the bones of a new species. At the time of its discovery, *Archaeornithomimus* was the oldest known of the ornithomimidae family from the Late Cretaceous around 70 million years ago, but newer discoveries have since pushed the family back much earlier to the Cretaceous. The prefix "*archae*" ("*ancient*") was added in 1972, underlining *Archaeornithomimus* status as one of the oldest known species of Ornithomimid.

Interestingly, *Archaeornithomimus* was once regarded as a species of Asian *Ornithomimus* - though the genus being more commonly found in North America - and was originally named *Ornithomimus asiaticus*. In 1920, some earlier fossil finds were reclassified to a new *Archaeornithomimus* species. These fossils originated from the Arundel Formation in Maryland. *Archaeornithomimus* shares many traits seen in others of its family such as *Gallimimus*, with long legs for fast running and a long stiff tail to act as a counterbalance. The skull hasn't been found yet, but it presumably was toothless like other ornithomimoids.

### Paleoecology

In the Bissekty Formation of Uzbekistan, *Archaeornithomimus* lived in Asia between 70 and 95 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period and preferred to live along the floodplains of rivers, where vegetation would be easy to come by. *Archaeornithomimus* lived alongside many other dinosaurs, including the small ceratopsian *Turanoceratops* and the hadrosaur *Gilmoreosaurus*, as well as a few other more obscure dinosaurs (*Gigantoraptor*, *Bactrosaurus*, *Sonidosaurus*, etc.) with little fossil material. *Archaeornithomimus* are also believed to have possessed feathers.

## References

1. ↑ Trevorrow, Colin. (Director). (2015). *Jurassic World* [Film]. Universal Pictures.