Trimucrodon

Tri-mu-kro-don.
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Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Trimucrodon ‭(‬Three pointed tooth‭)‬.

Phonetic

Tri-mu-kro-don.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Ornithischia.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

T.‭ ‬cuneatus‭

Size

Unknown due to lack of remains.

Known locations

Portugal‭ ‬-‭ ‬Camadas de Alcoba�a Formation/Alcoba�a Formation.

Time Period

Oxfordian of the Jurassic.

Fossil representation

Teeth.

In Depth

       Originally uncovered during the‭ ‬1960s,‭ ‬the holotype teeth of Trimucrodon were originally thought to be from a small mammal.‭ ‬In‭ ‬1973‭ ‬however Richard Thulborn recognised that the teeth were actually from a small dinosaur,‭ ‬though his paper describing them and naming the genus did not actually get formally published until‭ ‬1975.‭ ‬Today Trimucrodon exists as a tooth taxon,‭ ‬as well as a dubious genus given that the teeth of Trimucrodon are fairly unremarkable when compared to other dinosaurs.‭ ‬All that can be said about Trimucrodon is that the teeth would have come from a small ornithischian dinosaur,‭ ‬and would therefore likely be a plant eater.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Teeth of ornithischian dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal,‭ ‬with description of a hypsilophodontid‭ (‬Phyllodon henkeli gen.‭ ‬et sp.‭ ‬nov.‭) ‬from the Guimarota lignite.‭ ‬Contribui��o para o conhecimento da Fauna do Kimerridgiano da Mina de Lignito Guimarota‭ (‬Leiria,‭ ‬Portugal‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Servi�os Geol�gicos de Portugal,‭ ‬Mem�ria‭ (‬Nova S�rie‭) ‬22:89-134.‭ ‬-‭ ‬R.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Thulborn‭ ‬-‭ ‬1975.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT