Dilophosaurus

Artist Rendering of Dilophosaurus

Dilophosaurus was a carnivore, but I want to make a distinction. Just because an animal has sharp teeth does not mean it is or was a carnivore. Giant pandas, for example, feed almost exclusively on bamboo, yet they have very sharp teeth. However, some animals from the fossil record are classified as carnivores due to the fossilized remains of other animals found within their stomachs.

Dilophosaurus was a small- to medium-sized theropod. Theropod, or “beast foot,” is a classification used for all three-toed, bipedal (walking on two feet) dinosaurs. Though mainly made up of carnivores, there are some herbivorous theropods as well.

Standing at approximately 6–7 feet tall, this predator could reach lengths of up to 23 feet and weigh as much as 900 pounds. It’s estimated to be able to run up to 20 mph or more.

Though often depicted as having a large frill and spitting acidic poison, there is no scientific evidence for this. Furthermore, while it is often depicted as a small animal (such as in Jurassic Park/World), as stated above, it was considerably larger in real life. However, one could argue that these smaller individuals are simply juveniles.

October is “dinosaur month!” Every weekday of this month, you can come back to our Kids site to read about my 20 favorite dinosaurs. I hope you’ll join me!