Microsoft Dinosaurs
Staurikosaurus
Staurikosaurus
Staurikosaurus

staw-RIK-oh-SOR-us name means “Southern Cross lizard”

One of the very first dinosaurs — a nimble, sharp-toothed sprinter from the dawn of the dinosaur age.

KindDinosaur Period Late Triassic Diet Carnivore

Dating from the Late Triassic period, Staurikosaurus was one of the very first dinosaurs, and one of the most primitive. It was a small, lightly built meat-eater with strong jaws and sharp teeth. Staurikosaurus's ability to run on two legs gave it an advantage over other reptiles of the period.

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Triassic Terrors

Triassic Terrors

Predators came in all shapes and sizes in prehistoric times, and not all were dinosaurs. All these hunters lived during the Triassic period, more than 200 million years ago.

Two-legged predatorCoelophysis had all the characteristics of a swift hunter. This ten-foot-long theropod dinosaur probably ate insects, lizards, and whatever else it could catch.
Terror in the skyEudimorphodon swooped down and snagged unsuspecting fish from the water below.
Fish hunterShonisaurus, an ichthyosaur, searched for fish in ancient seas.
Mammal-like hunterCynognathus was a member of the therapsids—a special group of reptiles thought to be precursors of mammals.

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The Triassic Period Cynognathus

Source: Microsoft Dinosaurs (1993) CD-ROM. Text liberated from original screen art; images & audio restored from disc. Original media is Microsoft/supplier copyright — non-commercial educational preservation. Credits & Acknowledgements