The Dinosauriad
Abrictosaurus

Classification

Abrictosaurus Hopson, 1975

• Type Species:  Abrictosaurus consors

• Name Meaning:  "awake lizard"

• Synonyms:  Lycorhinus consors (Thulborn, 1974)

• Classification breakdown:

Animalia Vertebrata Tetrapoda Ornithischia Ornithopoda Heterodontosauridae

Measurements

Height: 1 meter

Length:  1 to 2 meters

Mass:  ~43 kilograms

Placement in Time

Late Triassic to the early Jurassic, spanning the Norian, Rhaetian, Hettangian, and Sinemurian.

Known Locations

Lesotho, South Africa

Recovered Remains

2 skulls, 1 associated fragmentary skeleton (UCL B54 [holotype]: partial skeleton, UCL A 100: partial skull).

Information

Abrictosaurus was a bipedal heterodontosaurid with high crown-teeth, but which lacked canine-like teeth in its lower jaw.  This has lead to the theory that Abrictosaurus may actually be a female Heterodontosaurus.  The animal's name is a reference to Hopson's disagreement with Thulborn's suggestion that heterodontosaurids underwent hibernation during the yearly dry season, an idea that was based on the replacement pattern of their teeth.  Hopson believed, in fact, that Abrictosaurus was active year-round.

 

 

What's New
October 25, 2005:  Repaired and restored this page, as well as added an image.
October 8, 2005:  Added this page.

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