Dryosaurus

oak lizard

• drys · Greek · oak, tree
• sauros · Greek · lizard

The name combines the Greek words for "oak" and "lizard". Marsh named it "oak lizard" because he thought its cheek teeth resembled oak leaves in shape. It does not refer to where the animal lived.

Named by

Marsh

Year named

1894

Period

Late Jurassic

Stages

Kimmeridgian – Tithonian

Found in

Morrison Formation, western USA (e.g. Wyoming, Utah, Colorado); possibly also Portugal and Tanzania material referred to other genera

Dryosaurus is a small, fast-running ornithopod (family Dryosauridae). The type species is D. altus. African material once called D. lettowvorbecki is now placed in Dysalotosaurus.