| Pegomastax Temporal range: Early Jurassic | |
|---|---|
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| An artist's illustration of Pegomastax africana | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | †Ornithischia |
| Family: | †Heterodontosauridae |
| Subfamily: | †Heterodontosaurinae |
| Genus: | †Pegomastax Sereno, 2012 |
| Type species | |
| †Pegomastax africana Sereno, 2012 | |
Pegomastax africanus is a herbivorous fanged dinosaur described in October 2012. Pegomastax (meaning "strong jaw") is an extinct genus of small heterodontosaurid dinosaur discovered in Lower Jurassic rocks in South Africa. It is known from a partial skull, both dentaries (the tooth-bearing bone of the lower jaw), and a predendary (a toothless beak-like bone found at the tip of the lower jaw).
Discovery[]
Pegomastax was found in Voyizane, Joe Gqabi District, Cape Province, in rocks of the upper Elliot Formation, a rock formation that dates to the early part of the Early Jurassic. It was collected during a 1966–1967 expedition but not officially named until 2012, when Paul Sereno published a description on this strange little dinosaur. The type species is Pegomastax africanas.
Pegomastax Skeleton
Description[]
Pegomastax differed from other heterodontosaurids by its skull. The lower jaw was robust with a short beak. Like most other heterodontosaurids, Pegomastax had an enlarged canine-like tooth at the beginning of the lower jaw's tooth row, which may have had a defensive function or a digging tool for finding roots and shrubs that it likely ate. Another way it differs from other heterodontosaurs is that it had almost porcupine-like spikes coming all throughout its body. This could either be used as a defensive function, like porcupines, to make it look unappealing to eat for predators, or to make itself look bigger to intimidate rivals or predators and attract mates. This little heterodontosaurs was one of the smallest dinosaurs, growing only 60 cm (2 feet) from head to tail. It was likely bipedal, and like its relatives, was probably a fast runner.
In the Media[]
Ark: Survival Evolved Pegomastax
- Pegomastax is one of the new creatures that will appear in ARK: Survival Evolved. It appeared often stealing items from players.
Gallery[]
