Dilophosaurus
Dilophosaurus wetherilli · Reptile (Prehistoric/Extinct), Vertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Dilophosauridae, order Theropoda, class Reptilia
Animal Category
Wild Predator (Prehistoric)
Breed / Variety
Dilophosaurus wetherilli
Conservation Status
Extinct (EX), having died out approximately 183 million years ago during the Early Jurassic period.
About This Creature
An extinct bipedal theropod dinosaur featuring two distinct crests on its skull, slender build, long neck, and pointed teeth. It measured about 7 meters (23 feet) in length and weighed roughly 400 kilograms.
Physical Characteristics
Long, narrow snout with a weak upper jaw joint (kinked notch), prominent paired longitudinal crests on top of the skull, sharp conical teeth, long powerful hind limbs, three-toed feet with claws, and a long balancing tail.
Behavior & Temperament
Likely a solitary or pack hunter, active predator, diurnal, utilizing visual displays with its cranial crests for communication and territorial defense.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
North America, specifically what is now the Kayenta Formation in Arizona, USA
Habitat
Forest and river floodplains during the Early Jurassic period; Terrestrial
Diet & Nutrition
Carnivore, feeding on early Jurassic small-to-medium-sized vertebrates, carrion, and fish.
Lifespan & Health
Extinct; typical lifespan of large theropod dinosaurs likely spanned several decades in the wild.
Special Characteristics
Famous for its prominent double crests on the head. Popular culture (like Jurassic Park) notably fictionalized it with a venom-spitting frill, though no scientific evidence supports this.
Ecological Information
Top apex predator of its ecosystem during the Early Jurassic epoch, regulating herbivorous dinosaur populations and contributing to nutrient cycling.