Theiophytalia

Say it like this: “thee-oy-fy-tal-ee-uh”

Theiophytalia kerri

Theiophytalia ate plants and walked on two or four legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in the United States.

Quiz me on Theiophytalia

When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago
Named in: 2007 · Brill, K.; Carpenter, K.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 5 m · 16 ft
Weight: 500 kg · 1,102 lb
Found in: the United States · Purgatoire
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two or four legs
Kind: beaked plant-eater · Ornithopod
Family branch: Styracosterna

The story in short

Theiophytalia was formally named in 2007 by K. Brill and K. Carpenter.

It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian), roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago. Finds come from the United States, including the Purgatoire Formation. It was a herbivore and could move on two or four legs.

Published estimates put Theiophytalia at a length near 5 m and a body mass around 500 kg.

On the family tree it sits in Styracosterna, among the ornithopod dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Bayannurosaurus

Bayannurosaurus perfectus

Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago

Calvarius

Calvarius rapidus

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) · roughly 72.2 to 66 million years ago

Cedrorestes

Cedrorestes crichtoni

Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago