LegendaryMasiakasaurus
Masiakasaurus knopfleri
mah-SHEE-kah-SORE-us· “vicious lizard”
🦕 Dinosaur🕰️ Cretaceous🥩 carnivore🦴 Noasauridae
2 m
Length
0.6 m
Height
20 kg
Weight
A small predatory dinosaur from Madagascar with a bizarre set of forward-jutting front teeth — unlike almost any other dinosaur — probably used to snatch fish and small prey. It was named after musician Mark Knopfler.
When
Late Cretaceous, ~70 million years ago
Found in
Madagascar
Discovered
Scott Sampson, 2001
Did you know?
- Its front teeth jutted forward like a rake, unique among dinosaurs.
- Those odd teeth likely helped it grab fish and small animals.
- Named after Dire Straits musician Mark Knopfler.
Artwork: Conty, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.