rhynchosaur

The rhynchosaurs were a group of extinct herbivorous archosauromorph reptiles that lived during the Triassic period. They are characterized by their distinctive beaked snouts, which gave them their name, derived from the Greek words "rhynchos" meaning beak and "sauros" meaning lizard. These animals were widespread across the globe, with fossils found in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Rhynchosaurs were typically medium-sized, with lengths ranging from about 1 to 3 meters. They possessed robust bodies, short, stout limbs, and a relatively short tail. Their most notable feature was the beak, which was covered in keratin and likely used for stripping vegetation. Their jaws also contained batteries of small, grinding teeth, suggesting a diet of tough plant material such as ferns and cycads.

Despite their success and wide distribution during the Middle and Late Triassic, rhynchosaurs went extinct by the end of the Triassic period, likely due to environmental changes and competition from the newly evolving dinosaurs. Their extinction marked the end of a significant lineage of Triassic herbivores. Fossil discoveries have provided valuable insights into their anatomy, diet, and evolutionary relationships within the archosauromorphs.