Silesaurus

Sy-el-sore-us.
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John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

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Name

Silesaurus ‭(‬Silesia lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Sy-el-sore-us.

Named By

Jerzy Dzik‭ ‬-‭ ‬2003.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauromorpha,‭ ‬Dinosauriformes,‭ ‬Silesauridae.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

S.‭ ‬opolensis‭

Size

About‭ ‬2.3‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Poland.

Time Period

Carnian of the Triassic‭ ‬-‭ ‬Drawno Beds Formation.

Fossil representation

Multiple individuals.

In Depth

       As far as individuals go,‭ ‬Silesaurus is one of the most commonly found dinosauriforms in Europe and at the moment anywhere else for that matter.‭ ‬Silesaurus is not thought to be a true dinosaur,‭ ‬but it was a member of the group of archosaurs that were ancestral to them.‭ ‬Silesaurus was a fairly small herbivorous reptile that would have browsed upon low growing vegetation.‭ ‬Predators of Silesaurus may have included other primitive but meat eating dinosaurs,‭ ‬as well as large rauisuchians.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A beaked herbivorous archosaur with dinosaur affinities from the early Late Triassic of Poland,‭ ‬Jerzy Dzik‭ ‬-‭ ‬2003.

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