Abrictosaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abrictosaurus |
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| Specimen NHMUK RU B54 | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | †Ornithischia |
| Family: | †Heterodontosauridae |
| Subfamily: | †Heterodontosaurinae |
| Genus: | †Abrictosaurus Hopson, 1975 |
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Abrictosaurus was a small dinosaur that lived during the Lower Jurassic period. This was about 199 to 196 million years ago. Its fossils have been found in what is now southern Africa.
This dinosaur belonged to a group called heterodontosaurids. These were early plant-eating dinosaurs. Abrictosaurus was a small creature, about 1.2 meters (4 feet) long. It weighed less than 45 kilograms (100 pounds). It walked on two legs, meaning it was bipedal. Scientists think it ate plants, or perhaps both plants and small animals, making it an omnivore.
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What Made Abrictosaurus Special?
Abrictosaurus is often seen as the earliest member of its dinosaur family. Other dinosaurs in this family, like Lycorhinus and Heterodontosaurus, had special teeth. Their cheek teeth were tall and fit together tightly. This created a flat surface for chewing, similar to later duck-billed dinosaurs.
Abrictosaurus's Unique Teeth
Abrictosaurus had different teeth. Its cheek teeth were more spread out and had lower tops. This made them look more like the teeth of other early plant-eating dinosaurs.
Dinosaur Tusks
The Abrictosaurus family of dinosaurs had special tusks. These tusks looked a bit like the canine teeth of a dog. Scientists found clear tusks on one of the Abrictosaurus fossils. The upper tusk was about 10.5 millimeters (0.4 inches) tall. The lower tusk was even longer, reaching 17 millimeters (0.67 inches).
Forelimbs and Fingers
Abrictosaurus had smaller front limbs compared to Heterodontosaurus. Its arms were not as strong. It also had fewer finger joints, called phalanx bones. Both its fourth and fifth fingers had one less joint than its relatives.
Images for kids
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An illustration of the Abrictosaurus dinosaur.
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A diagram showing the skull of Abrictosaurus.
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The forelimb (front arm) and a diagram of its bones.
See also
In Spanish: Abrictosaurus consors para niños
