Saltopus

Name: Saltopus

Pronounced: sal-to-pus

Meaning: Hopping foot

Type: Small Theropod

Length: 80 - 100 centimetres long

Diet: Carnivore

Period: Late Triassic

Years: 221-210 million years ago

Location: United Kingdom

Description: Saltopus is a small, bipedal dinosaur that lived during the Middle Triassic period, around 235-242 million years ago. It is known from a single specimen discovered in Scotland, which consists of a partial skeleton with some well-preserved foot bones. Saltopus was a member of the group of dinosaurs known as theropods, which also includes well-known species like Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor. Saltopus was a small dinosaur, measuring only about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long and weighing less than 10 kilograms (22 pounds). It had long, slender legs and a long, narrow head with sharp teeth. It is thought to have been a fast runner and an agile predator, likely preying on small reptiles and other animals. Despite its small size and limited fossil record, Saltopus is considered an important dinosaur because it is one of the earliest known members of the theropod group, providing important insights into the early evolution of these dinosaurs.

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