Zephyrosaurus

† Zephyrosaurus is an Early Cretaceous hypsilophodontid ornithopod from the Cloverly Formation of Montana, USA. This lightly built, fast-running herbivore was a small cursorial dinosaur occupying the lower plant-browsing niche in its ecosystem.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Zephyrosaurus 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

Zephyrosaurus 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.