Cristatusaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cristatusaurus |
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| A diagram showing the possible size and bones of Cristatusaurus. It combines pieces from different fossils. | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Cristatusaurus
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| Species: |
lapparenti
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Cristatusaurus was a meat-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now West Africa during the Early Cretaceous period. This was about 112 million years ago! It was a type of theropod, which means it walked on two legs. Scientists have found its fossils, and they look a lot like those of two other dinosaurs, Baryonyx and Suchomimus.
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Discovering the Crested Lizard
Finding Cristatusaurus Fossils
The first pieces of Cristatusaurus were found in Niger in 1973. A French paleontologist (a scientist who studies fossils) named Philippe Taquet discovered them.
The name Cristatusaurus means "crested lizard." This name comes from the Latin word "crista," which means "crest." Scientists gave it this name because they think it had a crest, or a ridge, on its snout. The second part of its name, "lapparenti," honors another French paleontologist, Albert-Félix de Lapparent.
What Fossils Were Found?
So far, the fossils found include two broken pieces of its snout bone. Scientists also found parts of its upper and lower jaws. A large claw and four backbones (also called vertebrae) were also discovered.
Is It a New Dinosaur?
Scientists are still trying to figure out if Cristatusaurus is a completely new type of dinosaur. Some experts believe it might actually be the same dinosaur as Suchomimus or Baryonyx. This is because their fossils look very similar. More discoveries might help solve this mystery!
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Another view of the fossil jaw pieces.
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Claw from Cristatusaurus
Images for kids
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The main holotype specimen (MNHN GDF 366). It includes jaw fossils and is kept at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris.
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A diagram showing how the Cristatusaurus premaxilla (front snout bone) might have looked different in an adult (A) and a young dinosaur (B).
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Views of the main premaxillae fossils: from the reversed left side (A), from the bottom (B), and from the top (C).
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A comparison of snout fossils from Suchomimus (A, B), Cristatusaurus (C, D), and Baryonyx (E).
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Pictures of the Erlhaz Formation rock layers. You can see Gadoufaoua in the lower right.
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A drawing showing what Cristatusaurus might have looked like when it was alive.
