Segisaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SegisaurusTemporal range: Lower Jurassic
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| Reconstruction of Segisaurus halli, skull is based on Coelophysis |
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Coelophysidae
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Segisaurus
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| Segisaurus halli |
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Segisaurus (say "Seg-ee-SAW-rus") means "Segi canyon lizard." It was a small, meat-eating dinosaur called a theropod. This dinosaur was about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long, which is roughly the size of a person's height.
Scientists found the only known Segisaurus fossil in Tsegi Canyon, Arizona. This happened during the early Jurassic period. Segisaurus is special because it's the only dinosaur ever found in that specific area.
What Did Segisaurus Look Like?
Segisaurus lived around 183 million years ago. This was during the Jurassic period, a time when many large dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
This dinosaur was quite small. It was about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long and stood about half a meter (1.65 feet) tall. It weighed only about 4 to 7 kilograms, which is like a small dog.
Segisaurus walked on two legs, just like a bird. It had a long, flexible neck and a strong body. Its legs were long and powerful compared to its body. It also had a long tail and long forearms.
Scientists think Segisaurus had a collar bone similar to a bird's. This is one reason why many scientists believe that dinosaurs are related to modern birds.
What Did Segisaurus Eat?
Segisaurus was a quick and agile dinosaur. It mostly ate insects. However, it might have also eaten small animals or even scavenged for meat. This means it would eat meat that was already dead.
Images for kids
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Illustration of the holotype skeleton, shown as it was found
See also
In Spanish: Segisaurus halli para niños
