Chimaera

Chimaera is a meat-eating dinosaur known only from fossil footprints, not bones. It lived during the late Triassic period, about 227 to 205 million years ago.2

Nobody knows for sure because only footprints have been found. The tracks suggest a medium-sized dinosaur, but no body fossils exist to give an exact size.2

Chimaera was a meat-eater, based on its name and classification as a theropod dinosaur. It likely hunted small animals, but no direct evidence of its diet exists.2

No, Chimaera was a land dinosaur and could not swim. Its footprints show it walked on mud, not in water.2

No, Chimaera was much smaller than T. rex. T. rex was a huge predator, while Chimaera is known only from small footprints, so it was likely much smaller.2

Nobody knows for sure. No body fossils have been found, so scientists cannot tell if Chimaera had feathers or scales.2

Yes, Chimaera is a dinosaur, specifically a meat-eating theropod. It is known from its footprints, which are trace fossils.2

Chimaera lived during the Norian stage of the Triassic, about 227 to 205 million years ago. That was before the first birds or flying reptiles evolved.2

Its name comes from a scary monster in old stories, the Chimaera. This name was given because the footprints looked strange and mysterious.2

If Chimaera were alive today, it would be a small to medium meat-eating dinosaur. It might hunt small animals, but it would likely be prey for larger predators.2