Asylosaurus is a dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, specifically in a time called the Rhaetian.
The name “Asylosaurus” means “unharmed or sanctuary lizard.” This dinosaur was first discovered in England in the fall of 1834. Initially, its bones were thought to belong to a different dinosaur named Thecodontosaurus. Later, these bones were taken to Yale University in the late 1800s. Lucky for Asylosaurus, its remains survived a bombing during World War II, while the original Thecodontosaurus remains were destroyed.
A scientist named Peter Galton formally described Asylosaurus in 2007. The official species of this dinosaur is called A. yalensis, which pays tribute to Yale University.
The fossils of Asylosaurus were found in a cave in an area called Durdham Down, located in Clifton, Bristol. The known remains include parts of the torso, back vertebrae, ribs, shoulder bones, and limb bones. Some additional bones from other parts of its body might belong to the same dinosaur.
Asylosaurus is different from similar dinosaurs of its time, like Thecodontosaurus and Pantydraco, especially in the structure of its upper arm bone. It likely occupied a different role in the environment, possibly eating both plants and animals.
According to one researcher, Asylosaurus was about 2 meters long, which is roughly 6 feet 7 inches, and it weighed around 250 kilograms, comparable to the weight of a small car.