Knowra Heterodontosaurus Heterodontosaurus Heterodontosaurus is an extinct genus of small, beaked ornithischian dinosaurs from Early Jurassic southern Africa. Its distinctive teeth included enlarged canines as well as grinding cheek teeth.
Ornithischia : One of the two major dinosaur lineages, characterized by a backward-pointing pubis and diverse herbivorous forms. Heterodontosaurus belongs to this lineage of mostly plant-eating dinosaurs.
Heterodont dentition : A dentition containing teeth of different shapes or functions in one animal. Heterodontosaurus had incisiform front teeth, enlarged canines, and broad cheek teeth.
Karoo Basin : A large geological basin in southern Africa containing extensive sedimentary rocks and fossils. Its sediments preserve the principal fossils assigned to Heterodontosaurus.
Heterodontosaurus tucki : The type species of Heterodontosaurus, named from Early Jurassic fossils in South Africa. This species provides the clearest basis for the genus's distinctive anatomical description.
Heterodontosaurus growth : The development of Heterodontosaurus from juvenile to adult, inferred from fossil anatomy. Growth may explain variation in tooth size and the apparent distribution of enlarged canines.
Heterodontosauridae : A family of small ornithischian dinosaurs known for varied teeth and, in some species, enlarged tusk-like canines. This family groups Heterodontosaurus with its closest recognized relatives.
Dental battery : A tightly packed set of teeth that provides repeated cutting surfaces as teeth wear or are replaced. Unlike later ornithischians with extensive dental batteries, it had relatively few cheek teeth.
Clarens Formation : A sandstone geological formation in South Africa and Lesotho, deposited mainly in desert conditions during the Jurassic. The principal Heterodontosaurus fossils come from this formation.
SAM-PK-K1332 : A well-preserved Heterodontosaurus skeleton housed in the Iziko South African Museum. Its nearly complete remains have informed reconstructions of the animal's skeleton.
Sexual dimorphism : Consistent differences in appearance between males and females of the same species. Researchers have considered whether canine size reflected sex, but fossil evidence does not settle the question.
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