Staurikosaurus: Genus of reptiles (fossil)
Staurikosaurus is a genus of Upper Triassic theropod dinosaurs found in Brazil.
It was a small, lightly built carnivore.
| Staurikosaurus Temporal range: Upper Triassic, 233 mya | |
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| Genus: | †Staurikosaurus |
The rarity of Staurikosaurus remains may be a result of it being uncommon while alive, or because it lived in an environment such as a forest, where fossils rarely form.
Description
At just 2.25 metres (7.4 ft), 80 centimetres tall (31 in), and weighing just 30 kilograms (66 lb), Staurikosaurus was small in comparison to later theropods like Megalosaurus. Staurikosaurus and the related Herrerasaurus are definitely theropods and evolved after the sauropod line had split from the theropods.
The fossil record of Staurikosaurus is poor, but the skeletal structure of the legs is known. Staurikosaurus was a quick runner for its size. It also had just two vertebrae joining the pelvis to the spine, a distinctly primitive arrangement.
The available teeth for Staurikosaurus strongly suggest a carnivorous diet.
Tail
The tail of Staurikosaurus was relatively long (with more than 40 vertebrae) compared to the rest of its body and was held straight and off the ground as it ran. The rear part of Staurikosaurus's tail is stiffened by features of the tail vertebrae. Ostrom thought this was a dynamic stabilizer to help balance while leaping and running.
References
Other websites
- Dinosaurs of Rio grande do Sul. Archived 2008-01-27 at the Wayback Machine
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