Dryosauridae

†Dryosauridae is an extinct family of ornithopod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of North America, Africa, and Europe. These medium-sized bipedal herbivores had a simplified dentition and long tibia suggesting fast cursorial locomotion. Dryosaurids represent a key transitional grade between small basal ornithopods and the larger iguanodontians.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Dryosauridae 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 Late Mesozoic Era

Dryosauridae lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161.5 to 145.0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.