Dryosaurus altus, a species of ornithopod dinosaur that inhabited what is now North America during the Jurassic period, approximately 155 million years ago. It is one of the best-known and most studied species of the Dryosaurus genus. Its name "Dryosaurus" means "oak lizard", and "altus" refers to its height and agility, as it was a relatively tall and agile dinosaur.
This dinosaur was medium-sized and had a slender body with long, strong legs, which allowed it to move quickly and agilely in its terrestrial environment. It measured about 3 meters in length and weighed about 100 kilos, its body structure was adapted to move on two legs, that is, it was bipedal.
The skull of Dryosaurus altus had a series of teeth designed to chew plants, indicating a herbivorous diet that included ferns, conifers and other plants available in its habitat. Unlike some other herbivorous dinosaurs, it did not possess noticeable crests or horns on its head. However, it did have large eyes that could have provided good vision, which would have been useful in spotting potential predators.
As for its limb posture, the hind legs were longer and more powerful than the front legs, making it an efficient runner. It is thought that Dryosaurus altus would have been able to escape predators and move quickly in search of food in its habitat.
The location of Dryosaurus altus fossils has been found in several states in the United States, suggesting that it had a fairly wide geographic distribution. In its Jurassic environment, it shared habitat with other herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs, forming part of a complex food chain of the time.
Approximate measurements of the Dryosaurus:
This dinosaur was medium-sized and had a slender body with long, strong legs, which allowed it to move quickly and agilely in its terrestrial environment. It measured about 3 meters in length and weighed about 100 kilos, its body structure was adapted to move on two legs, that is, it was bipedal.
The skull of Dryosaurus altus had a series of teeth designed to chew plants, indicating a herbivorous diet that included ferns, conifers and other plants available in its habitat. Unlike some other herbivorous dinosaurs, it did not possess noticeable crests or horns on its head. However, it did have large eyes that could have provided good vision, which would have been useful in spotting potential predators.
As for its limb posture, the hind legs were longer and more powerful than the front legs, making it an efficient runner. It is thought that Dryosaurus altus would have been able to escape predators and move quickly in search of food in its habitat.
The location of Dryosaurus altus fossils has been found in several states in the United States, suggesting that it had a fairly wide geographic distribution. In its Jurassic environment, it shared habitat with other herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs, forming part of a complex food chain of the time.
Approximate measurements of the Dryosaurus:
- Complete 1:35 scale
- Length 55 mm
- Height 23 mm
- Width 34 mm
- Snout-tail length 85 mm
- Complete 1:20 scale
- Length 97 mm
- Height 40 mm
- Width 59 mm
- Snout-tail length 150 mm
