Dakotadon lakotaensis

†Dakotadon lakotaensis is an extinct iguanodontian ornithopod from the Early Cretaceous of South Dakota, USA. A medium-sized herbivore, it possessed the characteristic thumb spike of iguanodontians and a broad snout suited to low browsing. Its remains from the Lakota Formation enrich knowledge of ornithopod diversity in Early Cretaceous North America.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Dakotadon lakotaensis 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

Dakotadon lakotaensis 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.