A new addition has arrived in 3D Dinopedia: Hyperodapedon! This well-known rhynchosaur lived in the Late Triassic (~237-227 million years ago) and was one of the most widespread herbivores of its time. It wasn’t huge - about 1.3 m long - but it was built like a tough, compact animal: a broad body, thick limbs, and a beak-like snout that makes it look like a bizarre mix of a pig and a rodent.

Its biggest “superpower” was its jaw system. Hyperodapedon had a robust skull and an unusual tooth arrangement: multiple rows on the upper jaw and a single row on the lower, producing a strong chopping action for tough plants - likely including seed ferns. Large eye sockets with sclerotic rings and enlarged olfactory structures hint at solid vision and a strong sense of smell.

It walked on four sturdy legs, with especially powerful hind limbs and big claws that may have helped it dig for food. Fossils show an impressive range - from Argentina and Brazil to India, Tanzania, Scotland, and the USA - made possible by Triassic Pangaea, when these lands were all connected.