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Dinovember day 6 - Dilophosaurus

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Description

Common Name: Dilophosaurus
Real Name: Dilophosaurus Wetherilli
Diet: Carnivorous (Possibly piscivorous)
Description: Dilophosaurus (/dˌlfəˈsɔːrəs, -f-/ dy-LOHF-o-SOR-əs) is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the Early Jurassic, about 193 million years ago. Three skeletons were discovered in northern Arizona in 1940, and the two best preserved were collected in 1942. The most complete specimen became the holotype of a new species in the genus Megalosaurus, named M. wetherilli by Samuel P. Welles in 1954. Welles found a larger skeleton belonging to the same species in 1964. Realizing it bore crests on its skull, he assigned the species to the new genus Dilophosaurus in 1970, as Dilophosaurus wetherilli. The genus name means "two-crested lizard", and the species name honors John Wetherill, a Navajo councilor. Further specimens have since been found, including an infant. Footprints have also been attributed to the animal, including resting traces. Another species, Dilophosaurus sinensis from China, was named in 1993, but was later found to belong to the genus Sinosaurus.

At about 7 meters (23 ft) in length, with a weight of about 400 kilograms (880 lb), Dilophosaurus was one of the earliest large predatory dinosaurs, though it was smaller than some later theropods. It was slender and lightly built, and the skull was proportionally large, but delicate. The snout was narrow, and the upper jaw had a gap or kink below the nostril. It had a pair of longitudinal, plate-shaped crests on its skull, similar to aq cassowary with two crests. The mandible was slender and delicate at the front, but deep at the back. The teeth were long, curved, thin, and compressed sideways. Those in the lower jaw were much smaller than those of the upper jaw. Most of the teeth had serrations at their front and back edges. The neck was long, and its vertebrae were hollow, and very light. The arms were powerful, with a long and slender upper arm bone. The hands had four fingers: the first was short but strong and bore a large claw, the two following fingers were longer and slenderer with smaller claws, and the fourth was vestigial. The thigh bone was massive, the feet were stout, and the toes bore large claws.

Dilophosaurus is a member of the family Dilophosauridae along with Dracovenator, a group placed between the Coelophysidae and later theropods. Dilophosaurus would have been active and bipedal, and may have hunted large animals; it could also have fed on smaller animals and fish. The function of the crests is unknown; they were too weak for battle, but may have been used in visual display, such as species recognition and sexual selection. It may have grown rapidly, attaining a growth rate of 30 to 35 kilograms (66 to 77 lb) per year early in life. The holotype specimen had multiple paleopathologies, including healed injuries and signs of a developmental anomaly. Dilophosaurus is known from the Kayenta Formation, and lived alongside dinosaurs such as Megapnosaurus and SarahsaurusDilophosaurus was featured in the novel Jurassic Park and its movie adaptation, wherein it was given the fictional abilities to spit venom and expand a cowl on its neck, as well as being smaller than the real animal. It was designated as the state dinosaur of Connecticut in 2017.

Reborn: 
The scientists at Jurassic Park recreated this species successfully. It had some features that weren't discovered in the original animal, them being the neck frill and the ability to secrete venom. Studies showed that the frill was keratinous and the poisonous spit wasn't secreted through a venomous gland like a snake, but rather actually, it was its own saliva. Its spit was acidic, that allowed it to shoot down small prey or even insects and then eat them. Dilophosaurus mainly uses the spit on insects because the saliva of dilophosaurus is specifically specialized to kill insects via the acidity. On complex organisms bigger than a mouse, the spit only causes slight burning if it comes into contact with the eyes, similar to when shampoo gets into your eyes, but it causes paralysis on small organisms.

pre 1990s
The dilophosaurs were originally bred by Mr. Lockwood. One of the early specimens was taxedermized and kept in a diorama in his manor.

1993
They were housed in Jurassic Park as visitor attractions. They were genetically engineered to house beautiful patterns so that they were further appealing to visitors.

2018
They might've possibly become extinct due to the eruption of Mount Sibo.

Genetic inaccuracies: skull shape, crest shape, null allele causing pronation of wrists, size, lack of fourth finger, size of fingers.

If you wish to see this terror in action, then click on this link!
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Comments62
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Depi66's avatar
Jurassic Park has done something that we meso-maniacs are doing now.