Daemonosaurus was a small dinosaur from the Late Triassic period that lived in what is now North America.
Discovered in the Ghost Ranch dinosaur fossil hotspot in New Mexico, this small carnivorous dinosaur, measuring approximately 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length and weighing around 15 kilograms (33 pounds), is distinguished by its short skull and large teeth.
Daemonosaurus Facts
- Type of dinosaur: Theropod
- Diet: Carnivore
- Continent(s) found: North America
- Length: Approximately 1.5 meters (4.9 feet)
- Weight: Estimated at around 15 kilograms (33 pounds)
- Period: Late Triassic, around 205 million years ago
What Did Daemonosaurus Look Like?
Daemonosaurus was a small bipedal dinosaur. Measuring approximately 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length, it had a relatively short skull with large teeth, giving it a unique look compared to other theropods.
The body structure of Daemonosaurus was slender and lightweight, with an estimated weight of around 15 kilograms (33 pounds). The combination of its small size and lightweight build suggests that Daemonosaurus was likely agile and quick, well-adapted for its carnivorous lifestyle during the Late Triassic period.
All that we know about Daemonosaurus comes from a single specimen, consisting of a skull and some neck and rib bones.
What Does The Name Daemonosaurus Mean?
The name Daemonosaurus means “demon lizard.” It is derived from the Greek words “daimon,” meaning “demon” or “evil spirit,” and “sauros,” meaning “lizard” or “reptile.”
The name was chosen to reflect the distinctive and somewhat fearsome appearance of this Triassic Period dinosaur, particularly its short skull and large eye sockets, which give it a unique and striking look.
The only identified Daemonosaurus species is Daemonosaurus chauliodus. The specific name (the second part of the two-part name) is derived from the Greek for “prominent toothed”, and refers to the species’ large teeth.
What Type Of Dinosaur Was Daemonosaurus?
Because so little fossil evidence of Daemonosaurus exists, paleontologists are unable to identify exactly what type of dinosaur it is. It is generally regarded as being a basal (very early) theropod dinosaur.
Theropods are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs, typically characterized by hollow bones and three-toed limbs. They are primarily known for being carnivorous, although some later evolved into omnivores and herbivores.
Later theropods include fearsome predators such as Allosaurus And Tyrannosaurus.
Where Did Daemonosaurus Live?
Daemonosaurus lived in what is now North America. Its fossils were found in the Chinle Formation at the Ghost Ranch dinosaur fossil hotspot in New Mexico, USA.
During the Late Triassic period, approximately 205 million years ago, this region would have been part of the supercontinent Pangaea.
When Did Daemonosaurus Live?
Daemonosaurus lived during the Late Triassic period, approximately 205 million years ago.
What Dinosaurs And Other Animals Did Daemonosaurus Live With?
Daemonosaurus lived during the Late Triassic period, a time when the supercontinent Pangaea was still intact.
Living at a similar time as Daemonosaurus were other early theropods and sauropodomorphs, such as Coelophysis, a small, agile carnivore, and Plateosaurus, an early herbivorous dinosaur.
The environment also hosted an array of non-dinosaur reptiles, including the armored aetosaurs, which were herbivores or omnivores, and the predatory rauisuchians, large, crocodile-like archosaurs.
Amphibians, such as large temnospondyls, and various synapsids, like the small, mammal-like cynodonts, were also present.
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