Fruitadens

† Fruitadens — a Late Jurassic heterodontosaurid ornithischian from the Morrison Formation, United States. Among the smallest dinosaurs known; tiny herbivore/omnivore (~65–75 cm, ~200 g). Named for Fruita, Colorado. Demonstrates the extreme size range within heterodontosaurids.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Fruitadens 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

Fruitadens 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.