Chilesaurus is the dinosaur discovery of the century | Brian Switek
by Brian Switek from on (#2ZG5J)
This herbivorous creature could be the missing link in the dinosaur family tree, changing everything we think we know about their evolution
Chilesaurus doesn't look like the kind of dinosaur that would kick up much of a fuss. The Jurassic saurian - named for the country, not the tasty peppers - was a small, bipedal herbivore that munched on plants over 150m years ago. It didn't have nasty teeth, crazy horns, or the immense body size that typically launch the careers of Mesozoic celebrities. The creature's secret is more subtle, and plays into a controversial reshuffling of the dinosaur family tree.
Related: 'Most bizarre dinosaur ever found' is missing evolutionary link - study
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