When was the Psittacosaurus found?

What kind of dinosaur is Psittacosaurus?

Psittacosaurus. Psittacosaurus ( /ˌsɪtəkəˈsɔːrəs/ SIT-ə-kə-SOR-əs; ” parrot lizard “) is a genus of extinct ceratopsian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of what is now Asia, existing between 126 and 101 million years ago. It is notable for being the most species -rich dinosaur genus.

Is this the world’s first pathological Psittacosaurus?

“A new Psittacosaurus (Dinosauria: Ceratopsia) specimen from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China: the first pathological psittacosaurid”. Cretaceous Research. 28 (2): 272–276. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2006.08.005.

How can you tell a Psittacosaurus apart from the other species?

There is a flange on the dentary of the lower jaw, similar to P. mongoliensis, P. meileyingensis, and P. sattayaraki. It can be told apart from the other species of Psittacosaurus by a combination of 32 anatomical features, including six that are unique to the species.

When did Psittacosaurus mongoliensis live?

In these areas, Psittacosaurus mongoliensis fossils are found in most sedimentary strata dating to the Aptian to Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous Period, or approximately 125 to 100 mya. Fossil remains of over 75 individuals have been recovered, including nearly 20 complete skeletons with skulls.

What kind of dinosaur is a parrot lizard?

Psittacosaurus ( /ˌsɪtəkəˈsɔːrəs/ SIT-ə-kə-SOR-əs; ” parrot lizard “) is a genus of extinct ceratopsian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of what is now Asia, existing between 126 and 101 million years ago. It is notable for being the most species -rich dinosaur genus.

Is Psittacosaurus the first ceratopsian?

Although Psittacosaurus wasn’t the earliest ceratopsian —the family of horned, frilled dinosaurs typified by Triceratops —it’s one of the best known among paleontologists. It comprises about a dozen separate species dating to the early-to-middle Cretaceous period (about 120 to 100 million years ago).

What is a Psittacosaurus?

Psittacosaurus is a dinosaur which lived approximately 100-110 million years ago during the early Cretaceous Period. It was first discovered in Mongolia and in 1923 was named by Henry Fairfield Osborn. The name of this dinosaur means “parrot lizard”, so named because it kind of looks like a parrot.

How fast could a Psittacosaurus run?

Quick Psittacosaurus Facts Could run about 40 miles per hour Was as tall as an adult male human Weighed as much as an average human male Lived in China and Thailand May have had a lifespan of 10 years

How did the parrot lizard get its name?

It was first discovered in Mongolia and in 1923 was named by Henry Fairfield Osborn. The name of this dinosaur means “parrot lizard”, so named because it kind of looks like a parrot.

How Smart was the Psittacosaurus?

The relatively large brain of Psittacosaurus leads scientists to suspect it may have been a relatively smart dinosaur, with complex behaviours. The large eyes hint that it had good vision. The Psittacosaurus specimen Vinther’s team studied is held at the Senkenberg Museum in Frankfurt.

How did Psittacosaurus use its beaks?

The bipedal adults used their distinctive beaks to nibble through the vegetation of the Cretaceous, more than 100m years ago. The relatively large brain of Psittacosaurus leads scientists to suspect it may have been a relatively smart dinosaur, with complex behaviours.

Is Psittacosaurus mongoliensis related to Iguanodon?

When describing Psittacosaurus mongoliensis in 1923, Osborn also gave the name Protiguanodon mongoliense to another skeleton found nearby, believing it to represent an ancestor of the ornithopod Iguanodon, in the new subfamily Protiguanodontinae.

Are monitor lizards dinosaurs?

The Monitor Lizard. As far as size goes, you can’t go wrong with some species of monitor lizard. As some of the largest reptiles in the world besides crocodilians and giant pythons, they look like real-life dinosaurs despite their distant relation to birds (which are extant dinosaurs).

Is Psittacosaurus a ceratopsian?

Psittacosaurus is the type genus of the family Psittacosauridae, which was also named by Osborn in 1923. Psittacosaurids were basal to almost all known ceratopsians except Yinlong and perhaps the Chaoyangsauridae.

Where did the first ceratopsians come from?

They contended that the presence of such an early, primitive ceratopsian in Asia suggested that this continent was where the ceratopsians first originated. Swisher and others dated the Psittacosaurus fossils of the Yixian Formation to near the Barremian-Aptian boundary based on Argon-Argon radiometric dating.

What is the age of Psittacosaurus?

All Psittacosaurus records are of Early Cretaceous age, and all are of Tsagantsabian and Khukhtekian age as those land-vertebrate faunachrons are defined here. These occurrences define a Psittacosaurus biochron that is a recognizable time interval of the Early Cretaceous across eastern Asia.

What is the difference between Psittacosaurus and mongoliensis?

P. mongoliensis was a contemporary. Psittacosaurus is the type genus of the family Psittacosauridae, which was also named by Osborn in 1923. Psittacosaurids were basal to almost all known ceratopsians except Yinlong and perhaps the Chaoyangsauridae.

What are 5 interesting facts about Psittacosaurus?

Quick Psittacosaurus Facts. Could run about 40 miles per hour. Was as tall as an adult male human. Weighed as much as an average human male. Lived in China and Thailand. May have had a lifespan of 10 years.

Are pterosaurs the fastest dinosaurs?

According to a 2010 study by PLOS ONE, the largest pterosaurs could reach speeds of almost 70 mph for several minutes and then settle into a nice gliding speed of about 55 mph. So, why aren’t the pterosaurs considered the fastest dinosaurs of all time? Put simply, they’re technically not dinosaurs.

How fast can a dinosaur run?

Some researchers have advocated for a “fast-running” T. rex theory, suggesting that the dinosaur may have reached speeds of up to 20 meters per second, or 45 miles per hour. ( Source)

Is a tuatara a lizard or lizard?

It might look like most lizards, but the Tuatara is the only living species of a distinct order of reptiles called Rhynchocephalia. Once upon a time, this group included a large variety of species dating back to the Mesozoic Era, 252 to 66 million years ago.

What is the world’s largest lizard?

Its scientific name is “Varanus komodoensis” and it is found on the Indonesian island called Komodo. It is also one of the largest lizard species in the world. It often raises curiosity amongst people, due to its sheer size (up to 10ft long) and dangerous persona.

Is this the most accurate depiction of a dinosaur ever?

Scientists reveal most accurate depiction of a dinosaur ever created. The dinosaur takes its name from the Psittacines, the parrots, because of its superficially parrot-like beak and skull. This is a vivid simile, but it has led some palaeontologists (and palaeoartists) down an unhelpfully literal path.