Saichania — artistic reconstruction

Cretaceous

Saichania

Saichania chulsanensis

The catalogue presents Saichania as a herbivore member of Ankylosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 100.5–83.6 Ma. Its estimated range is 5.0–7.0 m in length and 2.0–3.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Barun Goyot Formation, Mongolia. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.

Herbivore100.5–83.6 MaAnkylosauridae

Evidence-backed summary

For Saichania, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Maryanska (1977).

The PBDB places it in Ankylosaurinae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Ankylosauridae.

In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Cenomanian to the Campanian.

The PBDB catalogues 5 occurrences, with material from the Baruungoyot Formation (3) and from the Huiquanpu Formation (2). Provenance: Mongolia and China.

The catalogue records the holotype as GIN 100/151 and the type locality as “Barun Goyot Formation, Mongolia”.

  • GIN 100/151
  • Barun Goyot Formation, Mongolia

The catalogue's reference measurements are 5.0–7.0 m in length and 2.0–3.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.

  • 5.0-7.0 m
  • 2.0-3.0 tons

The record gathers 30 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.

Records compiled on 2026-08-08

Where it lived

Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.

Present-day map5 PBDB
BaruungoyotHuiquanpuHuiquanpuBaruungoyotBaruungoyot
PBDB occurrences
Map at the time · ~80 Ma5 PBDB
BaruungoyotHuiquanpuHuiquanpuBaruungoyotBaruungoyot
PBDB occurrences
Present mean latitude42.1° N
Reconstructed mean latitude37.9° N

Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.

Paleobiology Database · GPlates · CC BY 4.0

Artistic 3D reconstruction

There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.

Physical Specifications

Length
5.0–7.0 m
Weight
2.0–3.0 t
Period
Cretaceous
Time range
100.5–83.6 Ma

Discovery Information

First Discovery
1977
Described by
Teresa Maryańska

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Ornithischia
Family
Ankylosauridae
Genus
Saichania
Species
S. chulsanensis

Paleobiology Database · txn:38834

Data status

Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.

Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.

Type specimen
GIN 100/151
Type locality
Barun Goyot Formation, Mongolia