Tichosteus is an extinct group of dinosaurs that lived during the Late Jurassic period, specifically in the Kimmeridgian age.
This dinosaur is notable for being herbivorous, which means it ate plants. However, it is mostly known from just a few vertebrae, or backbone bones, found in a place called the Morrison Formation in Colorado.
The name “Tichosteus” comes from Greek words that mean “walled bone.” This refers to the unique structure of its vertebrae. Unlike some dinosaurs that had openings in their bones for air sacs, Tichosteus did not have these openings.
The first species, called Tichosteus lucasanus, was named in 1877 by a paleontologist named Edward Drinker Cope. The name honors Oramel W. Lucas, a superintendent who helped collect the vertebrae found near the Arkansas River. Cope described this dinosaur as being about the size of an alligator, while later comparisons suggested it might have been more similar to a wolf.
A second species was identified in 1878, named Tichosteus aequifacies. This name means “equal face,” which describes the more symmetrical shape of its vertebrae compared to T. lucasanus.
Over time, scientists have debated how to classify Tichosteus. Some thought it belonged to a group of meat-eating dinosaurs called theropods. More recent ideas suggest it might be related to a group of plant-eating dinosaurs called iguanodonts. However, due to the limited evidence, the exact classification of Tichosteus remains uncertain.
In summary, Tichosteus is a fascinating example of the diversity of dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth, even though we only have a small amount of information about it.