Cedrorestes crichtoni

† Cedrorestes crichtoni was an iguanodontian ornithopod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah, United States. A medium-sized bipedal to quadrupedal herbivore, it browsed on low-growing vegetation and possessed the typical iguanodontian dental battery for processing plant material. Named in honor of novelist Michael Crichton, author of Jurassic Park, it contributes to understanding iguanodontian diversity in Early Cretaceous North America, a transitional period between Jurassic and Cretaceous dinosaur faunas.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Cedrorestes crichtoni 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

Cretaceous Early Mesozoic Era

Cedrorestes crichtoni lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145.0 to 100.5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.