Oct 21 2009Tiny North American Dino Discovered, I Want
You see that handsome little devil Steven Spielberg's holding? That's a Fruitadens haagarorum, the smallest dino ever discovered in North America. I want a million of them. No, even more than that.
The newly identified creature weighed less than two pounds and stood about 4 inches tall. From head to tail, it measured a little over 2 feet long, said Luis Chiappe, director of the Dinosaur Institute of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County where the fossil bones are stored.
It likely ate plants and hunted bugs during the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago. It was so tiny and fast that it probably darted between the legs of larger dinosaurs, researchers said.The dinosaur "would have looked like a roadrunner on steroids," Chiappe said.
Oh man, can you actually imagine a roadrunner on steroids? That poor coyote.
Fossil bones of smallest dinosaur [wtnh]
Thanks to zerv, who asked if I have a size cut off which was rude because I DON'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST LITTLE PEOPLE WHY WOULD I DINOS?
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Reader Comments
1. Jaded Icon - October 21, 2009 10:38 AM
Ironically, we have the smallest dinosaurs......go America.
2. nate - October 21, 2009 10:39 AM
how cute!
3. Jimmy Nuetron - October 21, 2009 10:39 AM
Brain Blast!
4. Jaded Icon - October 21, 2009 10:46 AM
Thank GOD! No, firstards.....
5. Pat - October 21, 2009 10:46 AM
They aren't even carnivores, GW, so you could safely keep one as a pet.
6. MattZilla - October 21, 2009 10:54 AM
thats no micro-Dino! GIANT SPIELBERG IS COMING, WERE ALL DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMED!
7. Closet Nerd - October 21, 2009 11:00 AM
Meep meep
8. Iris - October 21, 2009 11:01 AM
aww it looks so cute!
just wanna pet him!
9. Timbo - October 21, 2009 11:03 AM
that's and appetizer...
10. Cinema Obsessed - October 21, 2009 11:16 AM
In our times I bet people would breed little designer dinosaurs and have them as house pets, or carry them around in purses.
11. HungLikeAGeek(Xtreame96) - October 21, 2009 11:27 AM
True, and Peta would have slutty half naked dinosaurs on posters with slogans like Scales are Murder.
12. RK - October 21, 2009 11:32 AM
Is that really Steven Spielberg? It looks like the museum janitor.
13. turkey baster - October 21, 2009 11:32 AM
Yep, it'd definitely be cooler to say "my dinosaur ran away" versus "my dog ran away".
14. JADE - October 21, 2009 11:46 AM
How do they know it's not just a baby dino? HHHHMMMMM
15. mis - October 21, 2009 11:52 AM
Those little ones are really some thing, guess missed opportunity of breeding them as pets.
16. Glen - October 21, 2009 12:35 PM
If the model that guy is holding is in fact of said dino, and the animal was only 4 inches tall, then he must be the smallest non-midget person on Earth. Either the model is not actually of that dinosaur or the 4" fact is wrong.
17. h3llc4t - October 21, 2009 1:10 PM
That's exactly what I was thinking, Glen. Looks closer to 8-10" to me.
18. uggboots - October 21, 2009 1:13 PM
I like watching Dino Films!
19. naas - October 21, 2009 1:14 PM
*RA.....*rawr
20. John Prime - October 21, 2009 4:31 PM
At what point is a fossil of a very small dino just considered a fossil of a moderately sized lizard?
21. Mike Hawk - October 21, 2009 4:43 PM
I'll have mine on rye please.
22. zerv - October 21, 2009 7:34 PM
My tip got posted...WWOOOOHOOOOO.....ok that was just sad. I apologize.....wait... no I dont.... I got posted.....yeah thats sad. And midgets are scary as hell!!!!!!
23. Aerialgreen - October 21, 2009 9:50 PM
Can't wait for KFC's classic recepie Fruitadens haagarorum... NOM NOM NOM
24. Aerialgreen - October 21, 2009 9:50 PM
Can't wait for KFC's classic Fruitadens haagarorum... NOM NOM NOM
25. fhs - October 22, 2009 7:00 AM
how cute!
26. rush limbaugh - October 22, 2009 10:37 AM
But that can't be. 150 million years ago jesus hadn't even invented the earth yet.
27. RoosterSocks - October 23, 2009 3:26 AM
They are not the first to disover these.
http://www.youtube.com/user/infinitesolutions?blend=2&ob=1#p/a/u/1/dyii4nndOMM
28. RoosterSocks - October 23, 2009 3:29 AM
i think its realy a Vegrandisaurus Citatus
29. php institute in orissa - June 30, 2010 9:05 AM
Really nice post, keep it up.
30. _panda - July 29, 2010 8:51 PM
Jesus Christ, that Spielberg line killed me.