Heterodontosaurus
Heterodontosaurus was a tiny, speedy dinosaur that lived in the Early Jurassic. It had three kinds of teeth, just like some mammals today, and a beak at the front of its mouth. This little plant-eater could run fast to escape bigger predators.1
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Fun facts
Heterodontosaurus means 'different-teeth lizard' because it had three types of teeth: small incisors, tall canine-like teeth, and grinding cheek teeth.1
This dinosaur lived about 205 million years ago, during the Early Jurassic period.1
Heterodontosaurus was only about 1.2 metres (4 feet) long, about the size of a large dog.1
It had a horny beak at the front of its mouth, like a bird or turtle, to help it bite off plants.1
Fossils of Heterodontosaurus have been found in South Africa and Lesotho, and one possible fossil came from Mexico.41
Scientists think Heterodontosaurus could run quickly on its long hind legs to escape predators.1
Most asked questions about Heterodontosaurus
?How big was Heterodontosaurus?
Heterodontosaurus was a small dinosaur, about 1.2 metres (4 feet) long and weighing between 2 and 10 kilograms (4.4 and 22 pounds).31
?What did Heterodontosaurus eat?
It was mostly a plant-eater, using its beak to bite off plants and its cheek teeth to grind them. Some scientists think it might have also eaten small animals sometimes.31
?Why did Heterodontosaurus have three types of teeth?
It had small incisor-like teeth at the front, long canine-like tusks, and chisel-like cheek teeth for grinding. This helped it eat different kinds of plants and maybe defend itself.3
?Could Heterodontosaurus run fast?
Yes, it was a speedy bipedal runner. Its long hind legs helped it escape predators quickly.3
?When did Heterodontosaurus live?
Heterodontosaurus lived during the Early Jurassic period, about 205 to 190 million years ago.31
?Did Heterodontosaurus have a beak?
Yes, the front of its jaws were covered in a horny beak, like a bird or turtle, which helped it bite off plants.3
?Was Heterodontosaurus bigger than a dog?
It was about the size of a large dog, reaching up to 1.2 metres (3.9 feet) in length and weighing up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds).3
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For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Heterodontosaurus
- Named by
- Crompton and Charig 19624
- Group
- Beaked plant-eaters
- Family / clade
- Heterodontosauridae4
- Classification
- Ornithischia > Heterodontosauridae4
- Age of the rocks
- 201 to 184 million years (Hettangian / Pliensbachian)4
- Rock formations
- Elliot, Clarens, La Boca4
- Countries
- South Africa, Mexico4
- Fossil records
- 7 in the Paleobiology Database4
- Discovery
- Heterodontosaurus was named by scientists Crompton and Charig in 1962, based on fossils found in South Africa.41
- Still debated
- Scientists debate whether Heterodontosaurus was mainly a plant-eater or if it also ate some meat, because of its sharp canine-like teeth.1
Where the facts come from
- Heterodontosaurus | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
- PBDB Taxon (paleobiodb.org)
- Heterodontosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
- Heterodontosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
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