What is crichtonosaurus?

Crichtonosaurus is a genus of small ornithopod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago. It was discovered in the Gobi desert of Mongolia in 1999 and was named after the famous science fiction author, Michael Crichton.

The fossils of Crichtonosaurus are relatively complete, including many bones from the skull, jaw, and limbs. It was a bipedal dinosaur, meaning it walked on two legs, and was about 3-4 meters long and weighed around 200-300 kilograms.

Crichtonosaurus had a unique and distinctive skull shape, with a long and narrow snout, similar to a duck. It had large eyes and a small brain, indicating that it may have relied more on its sense of smell and other senses for survival.

Based on the structure of its teeth, scientists believe that it was a herbivore, feeding on leaves, ferns, and possibly fruits. It may have lived in herds and used its sharp beak to defend itself from predators.

Overall, Crichtonosaurus is an important and fascinating dinosaur discovery, providing valuable insights into the diversity of dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous period.