Dinosaurs are considered one of the largest and old animals. They were present millions of millions of years ago before the existence of mankind. Their existence is only known through the discovery of their fossils. That’s why we are not sure how exactly they sounded or looked.
Dinosaurs usually have a very large number of teeth. But currently, one of the most talked about dinosaurs is Nigersaurus because it has 500 teeth. This Dinosaur got famous due to a meme that said, ‘Don’t Google which dinosaur has 500 teeth‘. However, this meme is not funny as it is a childish act by an internet user.
However, you can find millions of searches about this Dinosaur on Google. This article will provide complete information about the Dinosaur with 500 teeth. We will also discuss some characteristics that make it unique from other dinosaurs.
Discovery
In 1976, French paleontologist Phillipe Taquet first discovered the fossils of Nigersaurus. It was found in the Republic of Niger. But initially, this discovery couldn’t notify due to the lack of a skeleton.
Later, in 1999, an American paleontologist hosted an exhibition in the Elrahz Formation, Gadoyfaoua, in the Republic of Niger. In this exhibition, they presented the whole skeleton of this 500 teeth dinosaur. It is stated that this Dinosaur existed around 110 million years ago.
He also provided a plastic model of Nigersaurus’s head to the National Geographic Society. However, through their skeleton, they discovered that this Dinosaur has 500 teeth. Some other fossils were also discovered, but paleontologists cannot find this Dinosaur’s complete structure.
Why is it named Nigersaurus?
In 2019, a meme went viral at the name of this Dinosaur. But if you look at the name of this Dinosaur more deeply, then you will be able to know the exact purpose of this name. The fossils of Nigersaurus were found in the Republic of Niger. So that’s why its first name is set as Nigersaurus.
However, the full scientific name of this Dinosaur is Nigersaurus Taqueti. The last name is because of the person who discovered its fossils for the very first time. Phillipe Taquet was the main person behind the discovery of Nigersaurus. That’s why it is named Nigersaurus Taqueti.
Characteristics of Nigersaurus
Nigersaurus show some cool and unique characteristics different from other dinosaurs of this time. Following are some wonderful characteristics of this Dinosaur:
- Nigersaurus used to live in the landlocked West African country. They existed around 105 to 115 million years ago in the mid-Cretaceous period.
- Nigersaurus was a herbivore and only ate grass and other plants. That’s why they used to live in an environment with other predatory Dinosaurs. Other plant eaters like Ouranosaurus and Lurdusaurus were also present in this environment.
- Nigersaurus is considered the toothiest Dinosaur, with 500 teeth. However, the size of lower jaw teeth was 20-30 % shorter than the upper jaw. Moreover, if any tooth decay, it can automatically regenerate in a time duration of 14 days.
- Another interesting characteristic of Nigersaurus was that they couldn’t lift their head high. Although having long necks, they could only eat the plants nearer the ground.
- Their skull was so thin that even light could pass through it. In addition, due to 500 teeth, the mouth was larger than that of normal dinosaurs.
- The upper body of the Nigersaurus had armor plates just like a crocodile. Moreover, these armor plates are located up to 1 foot on the upper side of the back. Also, the size of the front legs is two third times smaller than the hind legs.
Due to these incredible characteristics, Nigersaurus is considered unique among other types of dinosaurs. Furthermore, it was also discovered that these dinosaurs were abundant in the lush environment now known as Sahara Deserts.
Conclusion
Dinosaurs are a wonderful species that used to live hundreds of millions of years ago. However, many dinosaur structures have been created due to discovering several fossils underneath the earth.
Nigersaurus is also a herbivore dinosaur with an amazing characteristic of 500 teeth. Due to several teeth, this Dinosaur has gained much popularity over the past few years. Its first fossil was discovered in 1976, and a skeleton was discovered in 1999.