richardsae

Richardsae is a genus of small to medium-sized, herbivorous dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. The genus is known from a single species, Richardsae palaciosi, which was named in 2014. The fossil remains of Richardsae have been found in the Aguja Formation of New Mexico, USA.

Richardsae is characterized by several unique features. It has a long, slender snout with a beak-like structure, which is thought to have been used for grazing on low-growing plants. The teeth are small and conical, with a crown that is slightly curved. The skull is relatively small compared to the body size, and the eyes are large and forward-facing, suggesting that the animal had good binocular vision.

The body of Richardsae is relatively slender, with long limbs and a long tail. The forelimbs are shorter than the hindlimbs, and the hands have three digits, with the middle digit being the longest. The feet have four digits, with the hallux (big toe) being the longest.

Richardsae is classified as a member of the Hadrosauridae family, which includes other well-known herbivorous dinosaurs such as Triceratops and Edmontosaurus. However, Richardsae is distinct from these other hadrosaurs in several ways, including its unique skull and dental morphology.

The discovery of Richardsae provides valuable insights into the diversity and evolution of hadrosaur dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous period. Further study of this genus may help to shed light on the ecological roles that hadrosaurs played in their ecosystems and the adaptations that allowed them to thrive in their environments.