Zephyrosaurus

Zef-e-ir-sore-us.
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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

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.

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SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Parasaurolophus ‭(‬Near Saurolophus/Near lizard crest‭)‬ Hadrosaur