Gallimimus bullatus



Coloration:

Adult and juvenile (both sexes) – Various shades of orange ranging from paler yellows to almost red, with some individuals having darker striping or blotches.

Diet:

Although classed as an herbivore, Gallimimus actually eats both plants and meat. While a large bulk of its diet consist of grass stems, seeds and fruits, Gallimimus will also consume any small animal that can fit in its beak and swallow whole; such as insects, mammals and lizards. During the breeding season Gallimimus will compliment its diet with the eggs and hatchlings of other dinosaurs, usually hadrosaurs.

Preferred Habitat:

Gallimimus prefers wide open spaces.

Social Structure:

Large flocks. Gallimimus commonly mingles with the herds of larger herbivores such as hadrosaurs and ceratopsians.

Description:

Bipedal omnivore. Gallimimus is a long legged, gracile dinosaur, with long feet and an absent hallux (first toe) to allow for swift running. The neck is long and the head is small with an  elongated, toothless beak. Its eyes are large.

Behaviors:

Gallimimus’ sense of sight is highly acute and therefore these dinosaurs are often the first to detect predators, producing a brief, high-pitched scream as a warning call. Many different species of herbivorous dinosaur tolerate the presence of the Gallimimus for this reason. Gallimimus is easily spooked and a sudden movement from even a non-dangerous animal can potentially cause the entire flock to stampede, thereby causing other animals nearby to also fly into a panic and follow suit. As a result carnivores and even harmless animals may be killed in the ensuing stampede.

Gallimimus are among the fastest animals on Sorna, capable of running at speeds of up to 55-60 mph. They stampede en-mass and are incredibly agile, making it difficult for a predator to select a single individual within the moving flock. This is not to say that Gallimimus is completely defenseless - the toes of its feet are armed with strong, sharp claws and a captured or cornered individual will attempt to strike at its attacker with its powerful legs and feet, much akin to a cassowary, and a single blow can kill a Velociraptor. In addition to this, Gallimimus will attempt to lash out with its clawed hands and bite with its sharp beak, aiming for the eyes to blind the predator.

During the breeding season, Gallimimus flocks follow the many herds of hadrosaur as they journey to the Meadow to lay their eggs. This is the only time the normally harmless Gallimimus become a threat to the nesting colonies of hadrosaurs, and while the hadrosaurs are extremely dangerous in defense of their offspring, at least one egg and hatchling per nest is taken by a Gallimimus, aiding population control. With this abundance of food Gallimimus mate later in the season, after the infant hadrosaurs have all hatched and are still confined to their nests. Gallimimus males fight over females by kicking at one another with their hind legs – a risky affair that has the capability of causing severe  injuries. After mating females lay their eggs in the forests bordering the Meadow where they are relatively hidden by predators and where they  are less likely to be trampled by the hadrosaurs. Nests are communal – many females lay their eggs in a single nest, and individuals take turns  to sit on them while the others stand guard and forage for food. During the nesting period Gallimimus eat practically nothing but eggs and infant hadrosaurs, and thanks to all the protein the juvenile Gallimimus  hatch and grow quickly, being ready to join the adults just when the hadrosaur infants are large enough to travel with their herds.