Paranthodon
Paranthodon africanum
Pronounced: par - An - tho - don
Diet: Herbivore (Plant-Eater)
Name Means: "Similar to Anthodon"
Length: 17 feet (5 m)
Height: 6 feet (2 m)
Weight: 1 ton (900 kilos)
Time: Late Jurassic - 148 MYA
Fossil remains for this Dinosaur have
been found in Africa
Paranthodon
was a
close
relative
of
Stegosaurus
and
lived in
the
southern
part of
Africa
at the
end of
the
Jurassic
period.
The
stegosaurs
were a
family
of
plant-eaters
with
small
heads
and a
row of
either
plates
or
spines
running
along
their
back
from
their
neck to
the end
of their
tail.
Paranthodon was initially classified in 1929 as a non-dinosaur due to the lack of material - only a partial jaw with teeth were found. It was given its present name in 1978, but classified as an ankylosaur. In 1979 a number of similarities with Stegosaurus were noted and it was given its current membership in the stegosauria. |
