Zephyrosaurus

Zef-e-ir-sore-us.
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Emerson Winslow

Paleoichthyologist

Emerson Winslow delves into the underwater world of prehistoric fish, uncovering the mysteries of early marine life. His discoveries have enhanced understanding of vertebrate evolution in aquatic environments.

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Name

Zephyrosaurus ‭(‬Westward wind lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Zef-e-ir-sore-us.

Named By

Hans-Dieter Sues‭ ‬-‭ ‬1980.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosuria,‭ ‬Ornithischia,‭ ‬Ornithopoda.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

Z.‭ ‬schaffi‭

Size

1.8‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Montana,‭ ‬Carbon County-‭ ‬Cloverly Formation.‭ ‬Possibly elsewhere in the US.

Time Period

Albian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Based upon a partial skull and post cranial skeleton,‭ ‬including vertebrae and ribs.‭ ‬Further individuals have now been identified and described.

In Depth

       Zephyrosaurus is considered to be closely related to Orodromeus and possibly also Oryctodromeus based upon the boss-like growths of the cheeks.‭ ‬Zephyrosaurus like these dinosaurs has been speculated to have possibly been a burrowing dinosaur,‭ ‬digging out retreats to which it could hide from the eyes of predators of the time such as Deinonychus.‭ ‬Zephyrosaurus would have been a relatively small ornithopod dinosaur that would have browsed upon low growing vegetation for food.‭ ‬When out foraging Zephyrosaurus would have relied upon speed and agility to try and stay out of the mouths of predators.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Anatomy and relationships of a new hypsilophodontid dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of North America,‭ ‬Hans-Dieter Sues‭ ‬-‭ ‬1980. -‭ ‬New material of Zephyrosaurus schaffi‭ (‬Dinosauria:Ornithischia‭) ‬from the Cloverly Formation‭ (‬Aptian-Albian‭) ‬of Montana,‭ ‬Martha Kutter‭ ‬-‭ ‬2003.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT