Theiophytalia, whose scientific name is Theiophytalia kerri, was a herbivorous dinosaur genus that lived in Colorado city during the lower Cretaceous period. This fascinating species was the only specimen in the world that is found by paleontologists, which consisted of lower jaws and partial skull.
Othniel Charles Marsh traveled to Colorado Springs in 1886 to collect the fossil skull, which he classified as that of a Camptosaurus and delivered to the Peabody Museum in New Haven, Connecticut, and Charles W. Gilmore used it as a base to reconstruct Camptosaurus in 1909.
Dr. Kerr's dinosaur fossil was neglected for one hundred and seventeen years.
The new Garden of the Gods Visitor Center began building in 1994. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science was consulted regarding a dinosaur exhibit while new exhibits were being constructed for the center.
The park crew was astonished when Dr. Kirk Johnson and Dr. Ken Carpenter revealed details about the Camptosaurus skull discovered in the park.
Ken Carpenter might be able to analyze the ancient dinosaur skull by creating its replica which was given to the City of Colorado Springs in 1997 to be displayed in the Garden of Gods Visitor & Nature Center that became a rare gift.
However, the issue is that this Camptosaurus skull differs slightly from other known Camptosaurus skulls and after a lot of speculation, the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center announced the discovery of Theiophytalia kerri, the sole known fossil of a completely new dinosaur genus in the world.
On May 24, 2008, the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center announced the discovery of Theiophytalia kerri, the world's sole known fossil of a completely new species.
Theiophytalia Interesting Facts
How do you pronounce 'Theiophytalia'?
You can pronounce Theiophytalia as 'Thay-o-fy-tal-yah'.
What type of dinosaur was a Theiophytalia?
Theiophytalia was a medium-sized ornithopod dinosaur.
In which geological period did the Theiophytalia roam the Earth?
Theiophytalia lived on the face of the earth from 125 million to 100.5 million years ago, during the early Cretaceous period.
When did the Theiophytalia become extinct?
It is not known when the animal became extinct.
Where did Theiophytalia live?
Theiophytalia fossil skull has been found in Colorado city in the USA and therefore it is assumed to be its home during the lower Cretaceous period
What was the Theiophytalias' habitat?
Theiophytalia was a terrestrial dinosaur who is assumed to have roamed around in an environment with an open plain with small winding rivers.
Who did the Theiophytalia live with?
The social structure of Theiophytalia remains unknown due to the lack of discovery of more than one dinosaur fossil.
How long did a Theiophytalia live?
Theiophytalia lived on the surface of the planet some 112 million years ago, during the Aptian-Albian stage of the Cretaceous period.
How did they reproduce?
The breeding habits of Eshanosaurus have remained unknown. It is known, however, that they, like other dinosaurs, reproduced by laying eggs. They generally demonstrated internal fertilization, after which females laid their eggs in nests, according to research.
Theiophytalia Fun Facts
What did the Theiophytalia look like?
Theiophytalia was a medium-sized ornithopod dinosaur with a long, heavy, and rough nose, a wide dorsal jaw bone, a proportionally small antorbital fenestra, and a heavier quadrate, with a lumpy lower jaw. The skull was reconstructed to be around 18 in (45.7 cm) long. It is not known if they had neck frills.
How many bones did a Theiophytalia have?
The bone structure of this dinosaur is unknown based on available fossil remains because the entire skeleton has yet to be identified.
How did they communicate?
Paleontologists have yet to determine its specific communication style, but like all other dinosaurs, it is presumed that they communicated by audible and visual signals.
How big was the Theiophytalia?
Theiophytalia has the length of this dinosaur was 22.9 ft (7 m) and height is 65 ft (19.8 m). They are way shorter than a T-Rex.
How fast could a Theiophytalia move?
Due to a lack of data, we do not know the speed of a Theiophytalia.
How much did a Theiophytalia weigh?
The weight of the Theiophytalia was 4409.3 lb (2000 kg).
What were the male and female names of the species?
The male and female Theoophytalias do not have any specific names.
What would you call a baby Theiophytalia?
The baby dinosaur of any type is known as nestlings or hatchlings.
How aggressive were they?
Due to a lack of data about the Theiophytalia, nothing has been discovered about its nature.
Did You Know…
The genus name comes from the Greek words 'theios' which means 'divine' and 'phytalia', which means 'garden' or 'garden of the gods'.
There is a park near Colorado Springs, Colorado called Garden of the Gods where James Hutchinson Kerr unearthed a skull in 1878, which is the only known fossil of the genus ever discovered.
*We've been unable to source an image of Theiophytalia and have used an image of Titanoceratops instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Theiophytalia, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.
*We've been unable to source an image of Theiophytalia and have used an image of Nipponosaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Theiophytalia, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.
Sakshi has experience in marketing strategy, social media planning, and recruiting industry experts for capstone projects, she has displayed a commitment to enhancing their skills and knowledge. She has won multiple awards, including a Certificate of Appreciation for Creative Writing and a Certificate of Merit for Immaculate Turut, and is always seeking new opportunities to grow and develop.
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