Massospondylus was a most unusual dinosaur. It was a plant eater that lived in Southern Africa and North America during the late Triassic period, between approximately 208 million and 204 million years ago. The things that make it unusual are the shape of its body and limbs:
* It had a tiny head on the end of a very long and extremely flexible neck
Fossil
* Each of its hands had five fingers, and its thumbs were equipped with a large claw. The design of its arms meant that they could used both for walking and grasping.
Massospondylus was about 13 feet (4 meters) long. The first fossils of the animal were found in the 19th century, and the name was chosen by Sir Richard Owen (who also coined the word "dinosaur"). Massospondylus means "massive vertebra", and refers to the bones of the animal's neck.
Like many modern birds, Massospondylus is believed to have swallowed stones (known as "gizzard stones") to help in grinding up and digesting plant matter. When the stones had been worn smooth, Massospondylus would regurgitate them, and then swallow new stones. Evidence for this behavior, namely piles of polished stones known as "gastroliths" have been found in Massospondylus skeletons.
As well as fossil skeletons and gastroliths, the fossilized eggs of Massospondylus have also been found. Six eggs were found in South Africa in the 1970s. These eggs were opened many years later, and found to have found near-hatchlings. It has been noted that the young of Massospondylus apparently would have been born without teeth, and based on this, scientists have conjectured that adult Massospondylus probably cared for their young.
Massospondylus Facts
Discover more about Massospondylus at http://www.dinosaurjungle.com/dinosaur_species_massospondylus.php
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