Abrictosaurus

Abrictosaurus (/ab-RIC-to-SAWR-us/; “waking lizard”) is a genus of heterodontosaurid dinosaur from the Early Jurassic period (Hettangian to Sinemurian stages), approximately 200 to 190 million years ago. It lived in what is now southern Africa. The name Abrictosaurus comes from the Greek words “abrictos” meaning “awake” (or not sleeping) and “sauros” meaning “lizard.” This refers to the idea that the resting position of the fossil suggested it might have been sleeping. However, this interpretation is not widely accepted by scientists today. Abrictosaurus was first described in 1975 by British paleontologist James Hopson.

Description and Classification

Abrictosaurus was a small, bipedal (two-legged) dinosaur. It is estimated to have been about 1.2 meters (4 feet) long and weighed around 45 kilograms (100 pounds). Abrictosaurus belonged to the family Heterodontosauridae. Heterodontosaurids were a group of small, early ornithischian dinosaurs known for their varied tooth types, including large tusks. Abrictosaurus is one of the geologically oldest known heterodontosaurids.

Distinguishing Features

Abrictosaurus is characterized by features typical of heterodontosaurids. It possessed heterodont teeth, meaning it had different types of teeth in its mouth. This included large canine-like teeth (tusks) in both