Abrictosaurus consors

†Abrictosaurus consors was a small heterodontosaurid ornithischian from the Early Jurassic (~200 Ma) of South Africa and Lesotho. Only about 1.2m long and weighing ~10kg, this bipedal herbivore lacked the tusks seen in some relatives. Named by Hopson in 1975, it is significant for debates about sexual dimorphism in early ornithischians.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Abrictosaurus consors 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 Early Mesozoic Era

Abrictosaurus consors lived during the Jurassic Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 201.4 to 174.7 million years ago.

After the Triassic-Jurassic extinction, dinosaurs rapidly diversified and became the dominant land vertebrates. Early sauropods and theropods began to evolve larger body sizes.