Fun Sacisaurus Facts For Kids

Sacisaurus is an Extinct silesaurid dinosauriform that inhabited the Earth hundreds of million years ago during the Late Triassic era. Evidence of its existence was excavated with the discovery of fossilized specimens from the Caturrita Formation located in the Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, in 2001. The genus was rendered first formal identification by J.‭ ‬Ferigolo and M. C. Langer. 

In Brazilian mythology, 'Saci' refers to a one-legged animal. The name has been attributed to the species because one of the legs of the species was missing from the fossils. 35 well-preserved right femora were gathered, but only one left femur could be traced. The specific name 'agudoensis' is a reference to Agudo, the city where the fossils were discovered. 

Scientists are still toiling to know through research if the Sacisaur was the oldest among all ornithischian dinosaurs. The study is also required for the evolutionary history of ornithischians to understand how these dinosaurs evolved from ancestors such as Triceratops.

How do you pronounce 'Sacisaurus'?

The pronunciation of the generic name becomes absolutely simple if the term is broken up into four syllables. It goes like 'Sa-ce-sore-us'.

What type of reptile was a Sacisaurus?

Based on the fossilized evidence, the Sacisaurus is believed to be a silesaurid dinosauriform.

In which geological period did the Sacisaurus roam the Earth?

The origin of these dinosaurs can be traced to 228-209 million years ago during the Late Triassic era.

When did the Sacisaurus become Extinct?

It is unknown when exactly Sacisaurus ceased to exist.

Where did Sacisaurus live?

The discovery of fossils from Brazil implies that the Sacisaurus resided in what we currently know as South America.

What was the Sacisaurus' habitat?

These dinosaurs were largely confined within terrestrial habitats.

Who did the Sacisaurus live with?

The social habits of the Sacisaurus haven't been explored because of the minimal data.

How long did a Sacisaurus live?

Although well-preserved bones were retrieved from the site, paleontologists couldn't arrive at definite conclusions regarding the average life span of these early inhabitants due to the dearth of evidence.

How did they reproduce?

It is safe to mention that the Sacisaurus engaged in oviparous reproduction like the other ornithischians, which means that females laid eggs after engaging in sexual breeding with males. Specific details about the breeding period, incubation or gestation period, or parental roles are deficient.

What did the Sacisaurus look like?

Sacisaurus possessed an athletic body, long legs, and small teeth.

We've been unable to source an image of Sacisaurus and have used an image of Ixalerpeton instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Sacisaurus, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected].

How many bones did a Sacisaurus have?

The genus was formed on the basis of fossil remnants that were discovered from the dig site. Scientists reconstructed the skeletal structure with 50 bones that were collected to research the origin and evolution of this ancient species. However, the total number of bones that constituted the entire structure of Sacisaurus agudoensis couldn't be estimated since the complete skeleton couldn't be reconstructed.

How did they communicate?

Like all other dinosaurs, the Sacisaurus interacted via sounds and calls as well as various bodily displays.

How big was the Sacisaurus?

It has been observed that the Sacisaurus grew up to a length of 3.6 ft (1.1 m) while it reached around 1.2 ft (36 cm) in height. It was pretty small when compared to Silesaurus that measures 7.5 ft (2.3 m) long. Its size is relatively similar to the Technosaurus.

How fast could a Sacisaurus move?

The average speed range of the dinosaur cannot be stated, owing to the lack of adequate research. However, it's believed that these dinosaurs were actively mobile and were swift runners as they possessed long, strong legs.

How much did a Sacisaurus weigh?

Although the size of the Sacisaurus agudoensis could be ascertained, its average weight is yet to be estimated.

What were the male and female names of the species?

In general, dinosaurs don't possess sex-specific names, so that they can be regarded as male and female Sacisaurus, respectively.

What would you call a baby Sacisaurus?

The baby of a Sacisaurus can be called a young.

How aggressive were they?

It's not known whether they were as violent as the Tyrannosaurus.

Did You Know…

The fossilized jawbones throw light on the feeding habits of the dinosaur. Like the Stegosaurus, the Sacisaurus was a herbivore that fed on the vegetative matter as they exhibited extremely small teeth that measured just 0.12 in (3 mm).

It is unknown if they had a tendency to bite and not much is known about how strong their teeth were.

We've been unable to source an image of Sacisaurus and have used an image of Silesaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Sacisaurus, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected].