The reptilian king
- Name: Agrosaurus
- Diet: Herbivore
- Weight: 280 kg
- Period: Upper Triassic
- Found In: Australia
Reptiles have always been studied by science as most of them possess amazing characteristics.
Millions of years ago there was a reptile that has amazing fossil records, the Agrosaurus.
What does the name Agrosaurus mean?
The meaning of the name Agrosaurus is “Country Reptile” and this is the name given to the prosaic class found on the plains of Africa making it the oldest animal on record in this country.
Details about the Agrosaurus records
Because of poor management in preparing the fossil, there is much confusion as to whether Agrosaurus is of the thecodontosaurus family or a similar animal, and although many studies have been conducted on the subject, no theory seems to be conclusive.
The first fossil record of Agrosaurus dates back to 1891, and its discovery was made by Seeley, who immediately gave it the name we know.
This illustrious paleontologist determined that all dinosaurs are classified into only two groups, the orniquists and the Saurisques.
Members of a British expedition collected a claw, tibia and other fragments of the Agrosaurus skeleton in a rocky environment.
The first specimen discovered was transferred to a British museum and its remains were studied in 1981.
A detailed investigation
Although the specimen was discovered in 1891, it was not until the end of 1980 that this fossil was prepared for analysis.
After its preparation a scientist saw many similarities between Agrosaurus and the prosaurus Massospondylus, to this day topics like these are still being analyzed.
When did the Agosaurus live?
Among the data thrown by the fossil remains of the Agrosaurus, one information highlighted that probably this animal lived in the upper triassic period given approximately 210 million years ago.
If the animal really lived in this so-called Triassic period of time, it can be said that it is the oldest one discovered in Australia, since this period in the timeline corresponds to the third and last timeline that goes from 228.1 to 199.6 million years.
What did the Agosaurus eat?
Like the other dinosaurs in its family, this one fed on vegetables, it is presumed that due to its characteristics it preferred to feed on branches and fruits from the treetops.
Characteristics of the Agrosaurus
The Agrosaurus was an herbivorous animal, the bones found in its fossil record reveal that this animal was approximately 3.5 meters long and only 1 meter high.
Based on its skeleton, it is believed that it weighs about 280 kilograms.
This reptile had a long neck and its head was quite small, in spite of being a quite big animal, the Agrosaurus almost always walked on four legs and sometimes it could stand on its back legs to cover small distances or to eat the tallest leaves.
Current records of the Agrosaurus
There are many drawings, paintings and reanimations of the Agrosaurus.
However, at present there is debate about aspects that made up its bone structure such as its skin color, size of the legs and other fundamental aspects that it is quietly herbivorous possessed.
It is worth mentioning that the most reliable restructurings of this specimen at present still lack basis.
Due to the great confusion about the Agrosaurus family, having a clear idea of what this reptile was like is a bit cumbersome.
However, thanks to the advances that science has had in the structure of its skull, if you can have a clear idea of how the head of this animal was and parts of its body, giving a small idea of how it looked while it was alive.