Juvenile ornithopod dinosaur — Camptosaurus dispar

Geologic period: Late Jurassic — Kimmeridgian

Age: Late Jurassic.

Feeding: Herbivorous.

Locomotion: Primarily terrestrial; ornithopod anatomy allowed bipedal locomotion and use of the forelimbs in some postures.

Body plan: Medium-sized ornithopod dinosaur with strong hind limbs, shorter forelimbs and a deep herbivorous skull.

Evidence: Juvenile skeletal proportions are direct evidence. Growth trajectory is reconstructed by comparison with older individuals.

Why it matters: A juvenile specimen lets the exhibit discuss dinosaur growth instead of treating every species as if adults and young were anatomically identical.

Plain Language Identity: A juvenile individual of the Late Jurassic herbivorous ornithopod Camptosaurus dispar.

What You Are Looking At: A composite cast representing a young Camptosaurus.

Ecosystem: Late Jurassic Morrison Formation.

Preservation: Composite cast.

Open Questions: Do not automatically interpret every difference between juvenile and adult bones as a species difference.

Source Urls: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour/current-exhibits/deep-time-virtual-tour-fossil-list; https://www.si.edu/object/camptosaurus-dispar-marsh-1879:nmnhpaleobiology_3441008; https://www.si.edu/object/nmnhpaleobiology_3441009

Enrichment Method: SAGE curated research pass; title + scientific name + source scene matched; historic taxonomy retained where relevant; evidence separated from inference

Scientific name: Camptosaurus dispar

Evidence / representation: comparative_taxon_visual

comparative_taxon_visual

Jurassic Giants: Size, Teeth, Armor and Survival.

Media license: Public domain