Troodon

Troödon formosus was a relatively small, bird-like dinosaur from the late Cretaceous Period (68-65MYA). Discovered in 1855, it was among the first dinosaurs found in North America, and is believed to have been one of the most intelligent.

Table of contents

1 Characteristics 2 Classification 3 References

Characteristics

• Troödon is Greek for "wounding tooth", and refers to the dinosaur's sharp teeth with serrated edges
• T. formosus was around 2m in length and 1m tall, and weighed 60kg
• Diet consisted of smaller animals, including mammals
• Had one of the largest known brains of any dinosaur relative to its body mass (comparable to modern birds)
• Eyes were large (suggesting nocturnal activity) and slightly forward facing, giving T. formosus some depth perception
• T. formosus' long arms folded back like a birds', and its hands possessed partially opposable thumbs
• Had large, sickle-shaped claws on its second toes which were raised off the ground when running. This claw is common in the superfamily Tyrannosauridae, to which T. formosus belongs

Classification

• Kingdom Animalia
  • Phylum Chordata
    • Class Archosauria
      • Order Saurischia
        • Suborder Theropoda
          • Infraorder Avetheropoda
            • Parvorder Coelurosauria
              • Superfamily Tyrannosauridae
                • Family Troodontidae
                  • Genus Troödon
                    • Species T. formosus

References

• Prehistoric Montana
• American Museum of Natural History
• Enchanted Learning - Troodon