Spore Dinosaurs: Massospondylus

Scientific Name: Massospondylus carinatus
Pronunciation: mass-oh-spon-dih-lus
Meaning in Latin: Longer vertebra‭
Code Name: Masso
Discovered by: Sir Richard Owen, 1854
Classification: Animalia, Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Sauropodomorpha,‭ Plateosauria, Massopoda, Massospondylidae

Temporal range: Early Jurassic, 200 to 183 million years ago
Location: ‬Lesotho‭,‭ ‬South Africa‭,‭ ‬and Zimbabwe‭
Length: 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 feet) long
Weight: 1,000 kilograms (2200 lbs)
Diet: Herbivore

The first specimen of this primitive dinosaur to be found consisted of a few broken vertebrae shipped to Sir Richard Owen, in London, from South Africa in 1854. He named Massospondylus on that year, making it one of the earliest dinosaurs identified. Since then, the skeletons of more than 80 individuals have been found across southern Africa. Thanks to the world's oldest known collection of dinosaur eggs, the way that early sauropodomorphs such as Massospondylus hatched their young is now coming to light after 190 million years.

Gradual excavations since 2006 have revealed dozens of eggs laid by Massospondylus by a Jurassic lakeside, now preserved in stone in South Africa's Golden Gate Highlands National Park. They have been discovered in various layers, suggesting that dinosaurs used the site repeatedly over a long period of time. No nests were found, but the eggs were arranged in neat rows by the mothers after laying them. The embryos they contained were near-hatchlings of 15 centimeters (6 inches) long. As these babies had no teeth and were clumsy walkers, it seems likely that their mothers cared for them for a period after birth. They also had four limbs of equal length, suggesting that they were quadrapedal, whereas the adults walked on two legs. They had longer necks than most of the early sauropodomorphs and a relatively slender build. The teeth are large, some serrated and some flat, good for tearing through vegetation. Like many of its relatives, Massospondylus has five fingers, but the fourth and fifth are very small. The huge clawed first finger curved over, thumb-wise, across the second and third, making this a versatile hand.

Model based on: Massospondylus from Harper Collins (Reference: www.pixel-shack.com/critters/W…)
Spore Abilities: Level 1 Jump, Level 4 Sprint, Level 1 Sneak, Level 2 Bite, Level 1 Charge, Level 2 Strike, Level 4 Sing, Level 4 Dance, Level 3 Charm

Massospondylus, Massospondylus Baby and Dracovenator made in SPORE
Made in Adobe Photoshop

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