Name:

Theiophytalia (Greek for "garden of the gods"); pronounced THAY-oh-fie-TAL-ya

Habitat:

Woodlands of North America

Historical Period:

Early Cretaceous (110 million years ago)

Size and Weight:

About 16 feet long and 1,000 pounds

Diet:

Plants

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Long, thick body; small head

 

About Theiophytalia:

When the intact skull of Theiophytalia was discovered in the late 19th century--near a park called "Garden of the Gods," hence this dinosaur's name--the famous paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh assumed it was a species of Camptosaurus.


Later, it was realized that this ornithopod dated from the early Cretaceous rather than the late Jurassic period, prompting another expert to assign it to its own genus. Today, paleontologists believe that Theiophytalia was intermediate in appearance between Camptosaurus and Iguanodon; like these other ornithopods, this half-ton herbivore probably ran on two legs when chased by predators.