Istiorachis macarthurae

† Istiorachis macarthurae — an Early Cretaceous herbivorous dinosaur from an unknown locality. Possibly an ornithopod or basal ceratopsian. Named for researcher MacArthur. Known from fragmentary material; represents the Early Cretaceous small herbivore fauna about which relatively little is known.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Istiorachis macarthurae 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

Istiorachis macarthurae 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.