Chilesaurus diegosuarezi

† A remarkable Late Jurassic herbivorous theropod from Chile, Chilesaurus diegosuarezi was named for discoverer Diego Suárez. Puzzlingly combining features of theropods, sauropodomorphs, and ornithischians, it is considered a key taxon for understanding early dinosaur evolution and convergence of plant-eating adaptations across lineages.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Chilesaurus diegosuarezi 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

Chilesaurus diegosuarezi 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.