Name:
Incisivosaurus (Greek for "incisor lizard"); pronounced in-SIZE-ih-voh-SORE-us
Habitat:
Woodlands of Asia
Historical Period:
Early Cretaceous (130-125 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 3 feet long; weight unknown
Diet:
Plants
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Long legs; clawed hands; prominent teeth
About Incisivosaurus:
Proving that there's no such thing as a hard and fast dinosaur rule, paleontologists have discovered that not all theropods were carnivorous. Exhibit A is the chicken-sized Incisivosaurus, whose skull and teeth show all the adaptations of a typical plant eater (strong jaws with big teeth in the front, and smaller teeth in the back for grinding up vegetable matter). In fact, this dino-bird's front teeth were so prominent and beaverlike that it must have presented a comical appearance--that is, if any of its fellow theropods had been capable of laughing!
