What is crichtonsaurus?

Crichtonsaurus is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 72-71 million years ago. It was named after the famous author Michael Crichton, known for writing the novel "Jurassic Park."

Crichtonsaurus was a herbivorous dinosaur with a heavily armored body covered in bony plates called osteoderms. It also had a tail club that it likely used for defense against predators.

Only one species of Crichtonsaurus has been described so far, Crichtonsaurus benxiensis, which was discovered in Liaoning Province, China.

Crichtonsaurus is considered a relatively small ankylosaurid dinosaur, measuring around 4-5 meters in length. It is believed to have been similar in appearance and behavior to other ankylosaurids, such as Ankylosaurus and Euoplocephalus.

Overall, Crichtonsaurus is a fascinating dinosaur that adds to our understanding of the diversity and evolution of armored dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous period.