Heterodontosaurus

Name meaning:

Lizard with different teeth

Period of life:

200–190 mya

Period:

Jurassic period

Habitat:

Floodplains

Taxonomy:

Ornithischians

Countries:

Jurassic period Heterodontosaurus | 3D Dinopedia

Megazostrodon

Scelidosaurus

Heterodontosaurus (200–190 mya)

Heterodontosaurus was a small but highly unusual dinosaur. It grew no longer than about 1.8 meters and weighed roughly 10 kilograms — about the size of a large turkey. This Early Jurassic animal lived in what is now South Africa around 200–190 million years ago.

Despite its modest size, Heterodontosaurus stood out strongly among other small bipedal dinosaurs. Its jaws had such a distinctive structure that early researchers were initially puzzled and could not immediately determine exactly which dinosaur group it belonged to.

The front part of the lower jaw was covered by a horny beak, as in other ornithischian dinosaurs. There were no teeth in this section — the tooth row began deeper inside the mouth, where sharp, chisel-like teeth were arranged in the middle region. Behind them came curved canine-like fangs, and farther back were larger, chisel-shaped grinding teeth. In other words, Heterodontosaurus possessed three different types of teeth, an extremely rare feature among dinosaurs, since most species had teeth of a single uniform form.

Heterodontosaurus was light, agile, and an excellent runner on its powerful hind legs. Special skeletal adaptations and ossified tendons along the spine helped keep its body and tail stable in an upright posture. Its forelimbs had five fingers, two of which were slightly splayed outward — possibly used to help grasp or hold food.

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