Dilophosaurus

(di-LOFE-ah-sawr-us)

Di = two
Lopho = crest
Saurus = lizard

Size: 6 feet tall, 20 feet long
Weight: About 800 pounds
Range: Southwestern North America
Habitat: River banks, swampland
Diet: Small animals, fish, carrion
Time period: Early Jurassic

Dilophosaurus was a bipedal theropod -- a meat-eater that walked on two legs. It was distinctive for having an unusual double crest of bone on top of its head.

Twin Peaks

The crests on a Dilophosaurus were thin and bony, but not every skeleton has them. The bold head ornaments were used to attract and impress mates.

Trust the Fossils, Not the Films

The Dilophosaurus was the dinosaur that spewed paralyzing poison on the bad guy in Jurassic Park, but scientists have no proof that a real Dilophosaurus had venom glands.

You Gonna Eat That?

The Dilophosaurus had strong, flexible forearms and opposable thumbs, but its jaws were weak and loose. Therefore, it was probably a scavenger that ate by ripping meat from carcasses with its powerful grasping claws.

Good Looks Run in Some Families

The Dilophosaurus was like today's King Vulture, a Latin American scavenger with a colorful headdress for attracting mates. Nobody knows what colors real dinosaurs were, so we chose this look. Why not?