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Atlascopcosaurus

Dinosaur profile

Atlascopcosaurus

HerbivoreEarly CretaceousEuornithopod

Pronunciation

At-lass-cop-ko-sore-us

Meaning

Atlas Copco lizard

Type

Euornithopod

Length

2-3 meters long

Period

Early Cretaceous

Years

121-97 million years ago

Location

Australia

Diet

Herbivore

About Atlascopcosaurus

Atlascopcosaurus is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous Period, about 130-125 million years ago. It was a medium-sized, bipedal herbivore, with an estimated length of about 16-23 feet and a weight of about 500-1000 pounds. Atlascopcosaurus had a long, slender neck and a small head with a beak and small, toothless jaws. It also had long, slender legs and a long, tail, which it may have used for balance while running. Its body was probably covered in a layer of tough, scaly skin.

Atlascopcosaurus was discovered in Australia in the 1980s, and was named by paleontologists in 1988. It is considered a member of the iguanodontid group of dinosaurs, which also includes species such as Dryosaurus and Iguanodon. Atlascopcosaurus is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several partial skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this dinosaur. It is thought to be closely related to other iguanodontids such as Muttaburrasaurus and Ouranosaurus.

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