Name:
Liliensternus (after Dr. Hugo Ruhle von Lilienstern); pronounced LIL-ee-en-STERN-us
Habitat:
Woodlands of Europe
Historical Period:
Late Triassic (215-205 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 15 feet long and 200 pounds
Diet:
Meat
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Five-fingered hands; long head crest
About Liliensternus:
As dinosaur names go, Liliensternus doesn't exactly inspire fear, sounding more like it belongs to a gentle librarian than to a fearsome carnivorous dinosaur of the Triassic period. However, this close relative of other early theropods like Coelophysis and Dilophosaurus was one of the largest predators of its time, with long, five-fingered hands, an impressive head crest, and a bipedal posture that must have allowed it to reach respectable speeds in pursuit of prey. It probably fed on relatively small, herbivorous dinosaurs like Sellosaurus and Efraasia.
