Priodontognathus Facts
Pronunciation: PRY-oh-don-toe-NAYTH-us
Name meaning: Saw-toothed Jaw
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 1m |
| Length | 3m |
| Weight | 500 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Jurassic |
| Period | Late Jurassic |
| Type | Ankylosaur |
| Location | England |
Priodontognathus was a potential ankylosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period, approximately 163 to 157 million years ago in what is now Yorkshire, England. However, this dinosaur is considered highly dubious by modern palaeontologists because it is known from only a single maxilla (upper jaw bone), making it extremely difficult to determine its true identity or relationships.
If Priodontognathus was indeed an ankylosaur as originally suggested, it would have been a heavily armoured, plant-eating dinosaur that walked on four sturdy legs. Like other ankylosaurs, it would have had a low-slung body covered in bony plates and spikes for protection against predators. The creature would have used its beak-like mouth and small teeth to crop low-growing vegetation such as ferns, cycads, and conifers.
The fossil history of Priodontognathus reflects the challenges of early dinosaur research. When first discovered in the Lower Calcareous Grit formation of Yorkshire, the fragmentary remains were initially confused with those of iguanodonts and stegosaurs before being tentatively assigned to the ankylosaur group. This confusion highlights how difficult it can be to identify dinosaurs from incomplete fossil evidence.
Today, most palaeontologists regard Priodontognathus as a nomen dubium - a 'doubtful name' - because the single jaw fragment provides insufficient information to distinguish it from other known dinosaurs or to confirm it as a valid separate genus.
What made Priodontognathus distinctive?
Known only from a single upper jaw bone (maxilla), making distinctive features impossible to determine with certainty. The jaw fragment shows tooth sockets that suggest it was a plant-eater, but no unique characteristics have been identified.
Behaviour
Behaviour cannot be determined from the single jaw fragment that represents this dubious genus. If it was truly an ankylosaur, it would likely have been a slow-moving browser that relied on body armour for protection from predators.
Discovery
Priodontognathus was first described by Richard Owen in 1875. The original fossils were discovered at Lower Calcareous Grit, Yorkshire, England.
Priodontognathus FAQ
What did Priodontognathus eat?
Priodontognathus was herbivorous, feeding on plants. If it was truly an ankylosaur, it would have eaten low-growing vegetation like ferns, cycads, and conifer shoots, using its beak-like mouth to crop plants and small teeth to process them.
How big was Priodontognathus?
Size estimates for Priodontognathus are highly uncertain due to the fragmentary remains. If it was an ankylosaur, it might have reached about 3 metres in length, stood roughly 1 metre tall, and weighed around 500 kilograms, but these are very rough estimates.
When did Priodontognathus live?
Priodontognathus lived during the
Late Jurassic period, specifically during the Oxfordian age, approximately 163 to 157 million years ago. This was a time when many famous dinosaurs like
Diplodocus and
Allosaurus also roamed the Earth.
Where was Priodontognathus found?
Priodontognathus was discovered in the Lower Calcareous Grit formation in Yorkshire, England. This rock formation dates to the
Late Jurassic and has yielded several important dinosaur fossils from Britain's prehistoric past.
How do you pronounce Priodontognathus?
Priodontognathus is pronounced 'PRY-oh-don-toe-NAYTH-us'. The name breaks down into parts meaning 'saw-toothed jaw', referring to the serrated edges of the teeth in the fossil jaw fragment.
What does Priodontognathus mean?
Priodontognathus means 'saw-toothed jaw' in Greek. The name refers to the serrated or saw-like appearance of the tooth edges in the maxilla (upper jaw bone) that represents this dubious dinosaur genus.
How fast could Priodontognathus run?
The speed of Priodontognathus cannot be determined from the single jaw fragment that represents this genus. If it was an ankylosaur as suggested, it would likely have been a slow-moving dinosaur, probably walking at only a few kilometres per hour.
What type of dinosaur was Priodontognathus?
Priodontognathus was tentatively classified as an ankylosaur - one of the heavily armoured, plant-eating dinosaurs. However, this classification is uncertain because it's based on only a single upper jaw bone, making it a nomen dubium or 'doubtful name'.
Was Priodontognathus related to birds?
Priodontognathus, if it was truly an ankylosaur, belonged to the ornithischian dinosaurs, which were not directly ancestral to birds. Birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs in the saurischian group, making Priodontognathus only distantly related to modern birds.
How many Priodontognathus fossils have been found?
Only one fossil fragment of Priodontognathus has ever been found - a single maxilla (upper jaw bone) discovered in Yorkshire in the 19th century. This extremely limited fossil evidence is why the genus is considered dubious by modern palaeontologists.
