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| Incisivosaurus (Wikimedia Commons) |
Name:
Incisivosaurus (Greek for "incisor lizard"); pronounced in-SIZE-ih-voh-SORE-us
Habitat:
Woodlands of Asia
Historical Period:
Early Cretaceous (130-125 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 3 feet long and 5-10 pounds
Diet:
Plants
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Long legs; clawed hands; prominent teeth
About Incisivosaurus:
Proving that there's no such thing as a hard and fast dinosaur rule, paleontologists have discovered that not all theropods were carnivorous. Exhibit A is the chicken-sized Incisivosaurus, whose skull and teeth show all the adaptations of a typical plant eater (strong jaws with big teeth in the front, and smaller teeth in the back for grinding up vegetable matter). In fact, this dino-bird's front teeth were so prominent and beaverlike that it must have presented a comical appearance--that is, if any of its fellow dinosaurs had been capable of laughing!
Technically, Incisivosaurus is classified as an "oviraptosaurian," a fancy way of saying that its closest relative was the widely misunderstood (and probably feathered) Oviraptor. There's also a possibility that Incisivosaurus has been misdiagnosed, and may wind up being assigned as a species of another genus of feathered dinosaur, possibly Protarchaeopteryx.
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Bob Strauss is a freelance writer and book author; one of his specialties is explaining scientific concepts and discoveries to both a lay and professional audience.
Bob Strauss is the author of two best-selling question-and-answer books that range across the expanse of science, biology, history and culture: The Big Book of What, How and Why (Main Street, 2005) and Who Knew? Hundreds & Hundreds of Questions & Answers for Curious Minds (Sterling Innovation, 2007).