Microdontosaurus dayensis

†Microdontosaurus dayensis was a small herbivorous dinosaur from the Late Triassic (~220 Ma) of China. A basal sauropodomorph, its name means 'small-toothed lizard.' Known from fragmentary jaw material with diminutive teeth, it represents early experimentation in herbivorous body plans among dinosaurs during the Triassic radiation.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Microdontosaurus dayensis was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Jurassic Middle Mesozoic Era

Microdontosaurus dayensis lived during the Jurassic Middle period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 174,7 to 161,5 million years ago.

Dinosaur diversity continued to increase, with the evolution of large sauropods and diverse theropods. Stegosaurs first appeared, and the supercontinent Pangaea was breaking apart.