The Troodon was a small theropod that lived in North America from the Campanian Age to the Late Cretaceous period approximately 75 million years ago. This dinosaur was from the Troodontidae family, which consists of other theropods that have bird-like features.
Key facts
| Domain | Description |
|---|---|
| Troodon pronunciation | This dinosaur’s name is pronounced as, “TROH-oh-don”. |
| What does Troodon mean? | The name which is derived from Greek means “wounding tooth”, and was because the dinosaur had serrated teeth. |
| Dinosaur type | Theropod |
| On the menu | Carnivore |
| Length | 3 meters (10 feet) |
| Height | 1 meter (3.3 feet) |
| Weight | 50 kilograms (110 lbs) |
| Life expectancy | Due to lack of evidence, the exact life expectancy of a troodon is unknown. Yet, studies suggest that it reached up to 18 years while other studies suggest that it only reached 4 years old. |
| Legs used to get around | The Troodon was bipedal. |
| Estimated top speed | According to studies, the estimated top speed that this dinosaur can achieve is 30 mph-40mph or 48-64 kph. |
| When they lived | The Troodon lived during the Late Cretaceous Period which was 75-65 million years ago. |
| Where they have been found? | The first fossils of the Troodon were found in Montana, in the United States. |
When & Where
In 1855, at the junction of both Missouri and Judith rivers in Montana, United States, a group of fossilized sets of teeth were discovered. It was then found by a paleontologist named Ferdinand V. Hayden. After locating these fossils, it was then delivered to Joseph Leidy of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia who in 1856 described this dinosaur as the Troodon, which is Greek for “wounding teeth”. Other remains of the Troodon were found in Wyoming and Alaska, in the United States and also in Alberta, Canada.
Size & Weight
The Troodon can reach up to a height of a meter of 3 feet, a length of 3 meters, or 10 feet, and a weight of up to 50 kilograms, or 110 lbs. This dinosaur’s hollow bones were one of the reasons that they are light weights.
Mobility & Diet
Even if small, this dinosaur is a carnivore. Its hind legs and small structure have helped in feeding off other reptiles. This dinosaur was believed to have fed off snakes, lizards, as well as other dinosaurs’ hatchlings.
Interesting Points
- Troodon is the Greek word for “Wounding Tooth”.
- Lived in colder climates.
- Was known before as Stenonychosaurus.
- Troodon had a bigger brain than most dinosaurs.
- Just like other dinosaurs of their time, they reproduced by laying eggs.
- Unlike other dinosaurs, the Troodon was discovered to have its eyes facing forward. Most dinosaurs have their eyes positioned toward their sides. The Troodon having its eyes facing forward helped them see clearly at night and based on studies, they possess binocular vision as well.