Silesaurus

Silesian lizard

• Silesia · Latinised place name · Silesia, the region in Poland where it was found
• sauros · Greek · lizard

Silesaurus means "Silesian lizard". It is named after Silesia, the historical region of central Europe where the fossils were found in southern Poland (the Opole area). The species name, S. opolensis, also refers to Opole.

Named by

Dzik

Year named

2003

Period

Late Triassic

Stage

Carnian

Found in

Krasiejów, Opole Silesia, southern Poland

Silesaurus is usually considered a silesaurid, an early dinosauriform that was a close relative of dinosaurs but not a true dinosaur. A few analyses have placed silesaurids as early ornithischian dinosaurs, but this is debated. It was a small, slender animal that probably walked on four legs and probably had a beak.