Dracovenator facts for kids
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Dracovenator was a type of meat-eating dinosaur that lived in southern Africa. This dinosaur roamed the Earth about 185 million years ago, during a time called the Lower Jurassic period. It was a close relative of another famous dinosaur, Dilophosaurus. Scientists think Dracovenator might have had two crests on its head, just like Dilophosaurus.
Its name, Dracovenator, means "Dragon hunter." It got this name because dinosaurs are often compared to the dragons from old stories. Since it was a carnivore, meaning it ate meat, it was definitely a hunter!
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Discovering Dracovenator: The Dragon Hunter
Dracovenator was a large meat-eating dinosaur. It grew to be about 23 feet (7 meters) long. This makes it the first big meat-eating dinosaur found from the Lower Jurassic period in Africa. Scientists officially described and named Dracovenator in 2006.
What Fossils Tell Us
The discovery of Dracovenator was based on several important fossil bones. These included a hand claw, part of an upper jaw with teeth, and bones from its spine (vertebrae). They also found parts of its hip (pelvis bones), ribs, and foot bones. All these pieces helped scientists understand what this ancient hunter looked like.
Where Dracovenator Lived
There is only one known species of this dinosaur, called Dracovenator regenti. Its fossils were found in a place called the upper Elliot Formation in South Africa. This area is famous for its dinosaur discoveries.
Images for kids
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Drawing of the known skull bones.
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A young Dracovenator regenti snout on display.
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What Dracovenator regenti might have looked like when it was alive.
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The main fossil specimen, known as holotype BP/1/5243.
