Malawisaurus

Name: Malawisaurus

Pronounced: Ma-la-wee-sore-us

Meaning: Malawi lizard

Type: Sauropod

Length: 9 - 16 meters long

Diet: Herbivore

Period: Early Cretaceous

Years: 121-112 million years ago

Location: Africa

Description: Malawisaurus is a genus of dinosaur that lived in what is now Africa during the Middle Jurassic period, about 167-164 million years ago. It was a theropod, a group of bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs, and belonged to the family Abelisauridae. The only known species is M. dixeyi, which was named after British paleontologist Frederick Augustus Dixey. It is known from a single partial skull, which was found in the Ruhuhu Basin of Tanzania in the 1930s. Malawisaurus was a relatively small theropod, with an estimated length of about 6 meters (20 feet). It had a short, wide skull with a prominent nasal crest and a narrow snout. Its teeth were conical and serrated, suggesting that it may have fed on small prey such as lizards and mammals. Its arms were short and its hands had three fingers, each ending in a sharp claw. It is thought to have been a fast runner, with long, slender legs and three toes on each foot, also ending in sharp claws. There is still much that is unknown about Malawisaurus, as it is only known from a single skull. Further fossil discoveries may provide more information about this dinosaur and help to paint a clearer picture of its appearance and behavior.

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