Name:
Dromiceiomimus (Greek for "emu mimic"); pronounced DRO-mih-say-oh-MIME-us
Habitat:
Plains of North America
Historical Period:
Late Cretaceous (80-65 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 12 feet long and 200 pounds
Diet:
Probably omnivorous
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Large eyes and brain; long legs
About Dromiceiomimus:
A close relative of the North American ornithomimid ("bird mimics") Ornithomimus and Struthiomimus, Dromiceiomimus may have been the fastest of the lot, based on an analysis of this small theropod's unusually long legs. At full tilt, Dromiceiomimus may have capable of hitting speeds of 45 or 50 miles per hour, though it probably stepped on the gas pedal only when it was being pursued by predators.
Dromiceiomimus is also notable for its relatively big eyes (and correspondingly big brain), which matched up oddly with its weak, toothless jaws. Paleontologists speculate that this dinosaur was omnivorous, feeding mostly on insects and vegetation but pouncing on the occasional small lizard or mammal.
