Introduction
Nipponosaurus is a genus of herbivorous ornithischian dinosaur that lived in Japan during the late Cretaceous Period. It is one of the few known species of dinosaur native to Japan. Nipponosaurus was relatively small compared to some of its contemporaries, measuring only about 4.7 meters (15 feet) long, and weighing in at about 350 kilograms (770 lbs).
As with all other dinosaurs, Nipponosaurus faced numerous threats from predators in the wild. While much of its habitat was landlocked, it was likely menaced by other, larger species of dinosaur. In this article, we’ll look closer at some of the dinosaurs that could have been a threat to Nipponosaurus in its natural environment.
Kronosaurus
Kronosaurus was an aggressive and formidable predator that lived during the Cretaceous period, sometime between 70-80 million years ago. It was an apex predator and one of the largest marine reptiles to ever exist, growing up to an impressive 10 meters (33 feet) in length. It had a long, powerful neck and large, robust jaws filled with sharp, interlocking, cone-shaped teeth, perfectly suited for catching and consuming prey. It could have been a serious threat to any Nipponosaurus that ventured too close to the water.
Deinocheirus
Another large predator that lived in the same area and time as Nipponosaurus was Deinocheirus. It was one of the largest known carnivorous dinosaurs ever discovered, measuring up to 11 meters (36 feet) in length and weighing up to 6,000 kilograms (13,000 lbs). Judging by its size and robust anatomy, Deinocheirus was a powerful predator that could have posed a serious threat to Nipponosaurus.
Tarbosaurus
Tarbosaurus was a large predatory dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous period, roughly 70-65 million years ago. It was one of the most fearsome predators of its time, measuring up to 11 meters (36 feet) in length and weighing up to 6,000 kilograms (13,000 lbs). It had a long, strong tail and powerful, densely packed jaws, filled with sharp and curved teeth up to 10 cm (4 inches) in length. Needless to say, it could have been a serious threat to a Nipponosaurus.
Tyrannosaurus Rex
No list of predators of Nipponosaurus would be complete without mentioning the infamous T-Rex. Although it is not native to Japan, its range did extend across North America and parts of northern Asia. It grew to an impressive 9.8 meters (32 feet) in length and weighed between 4.5-7.8 metric tons. Despite its size and weight, it was an incredibly fast and powerful predator, capable of running up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) per hour. It was a formidable enemy that could have easily bested a Nipponosaurus in a fight.
Conclusion
Nipponosaurus was a small, herbivorous dinosaur that lived in Japan during the late Cretaceous Period. While it was protected by its small size, it could still be menaced by bigger and stronger predators. Such predators included Kronosaurus, Deinocheirus, Tarbosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex, all of which could have easily bested Nipponosaurus in a fight.