pistosaur

Pistosaurus is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period, approximately 155 to 150 million years ago. It is known from a single species, Pistosaurus hungaricus, which was discovered in Hungary. Pistosaurus is notable for its distinctive features, including a long, slender neck and a relatively small body size compared to other sauropods of its time.

The genus name Pistosaurus comes from the Greek words "pistos," meaning "faithful" or "trustworthy," and "sauros," meaning "lizard." The specific name hungaricus refers to the country where the fossil was found. The type specimen, a partial skeleton, was discovered in the early 20th century and is housed in the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest.

Pistosaurus is estimated to have been about 10 meters (33 feet) long and weighed around 2.5 tons. Its diet likely consisted of low-growing plants and ferns, as it had a relatively short neck and small head compared to other sauropods. The dinosaur's small size and unique features suggest that it may have filled a specific ecological niche, possibly occupying a similar role to modern-day browsing animals.

Despite its distinctive features, Pistosaurus is not well-known and is considered one of the least studied sauropod genera. Further research and the discovery of additional fossils may provide more insights into the biology and behavior of this intriguing dinosaur.