**Alocodon: An Extinct Dinosaur**
Alocodon is a group of dinosaurs that lived during the Late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago.
**What is Alocodon?**
Alocodon is known from fossil teeth found in different places like Portugal and England. The only species we know from this group is called Alocodon kuehnei.
**How Was Alocodon Discovered?**
The first discovery of Alocodon was made by a scientist named Richard A. Thulborn in 1973. He identified a unique tooth from this dinosaur that had a special feature: a large middle denticle, which is a small pointed structure on the tooth. The fossil tooth is stored in a museum in Lisbon, Portugal, and comes from a dinosaur that was under 2 meters long.
**Where Was Alocodon Found?**
The teeth of Alocodon were mostly found in the Cabaços Formation in Portugal. Some similar teeth were also found in England’s Forest Marble and Chipping Norton Formations.
**How Do We Classify Alocodon?**
Initially, Alocodon was placed in a dinosaur family called Fabrosauridae, similar to another dinosaur named Fabrosaurus. Over time, as more discoveries were made, scientists re-evaluated where Alocodon fit in the dinosaur family tree.
Some scientists thought it was related to the ornithopods, a group of plant-eating dinosaurs. Others suggested it might belong to a different group called Thyreophora. However, due to the limited fossils available, there has been much debate about its exact classification.
More recent studies show that Alocodon has traits that might align it with a specific group of dinosaurs called Ankylosauria, known for their armored bodies.
**What Did Alocodon Share Its Environment With?**
Alocodon lived alongside a variety of other creatures. This included flying reptiles like Rhamphorhynchus, as well as turtles, crocodile-like animals, and different species of fish and sharks. Footprints and teeth of large meat-eating dinosaurs, called theropods, have also been found in the same area.
In summary, Alocodon is an interesting part of our understanding of dinosaurs, showcasing the diversity of life during the Jurassic period. Scientists continue to study its fossils to learn more about its life and environment.