Fabrosaurus

“Fabre’s Lizard”: Dedicated to an Entomologist

Origin of a Rare Name

The scientific name Fabrosaurus was coined in 1964 by French paleontologist Leonard Ginsburg.
The name is derived from the French naturalist and entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre.
It literally translates to “Fabre’s Lizard,” and is known as a very rare case where a dinosaur is named after an entomologist.

Scanty Fossils

The fossil that served as the basis for this name was extremely fragmentary, consisting only of a part of a “lower jawbone” equipped with a few teeth.
This fact is the trigger for the potential “disappearance of the name” described below.

The Biggest Mystery: Is It the Same Dinosaur as Lesothosaurus?

One cannot discuss Fabrosaurus without addressing its relationship with “Lesothosaurus,” which lived in the same region (such as Lesotho) at the same time.

Two of a Kind

The two are extremely similar in appearance and ecological characteristics.
However, while Fabrosaurus fossils are fragmentary, Lesothosaurus is known from the discovery of numerous well-preserved fossils.

Possibility of the Name Disappearing

Currently, many researchers believe that “Fabrosaurus and Lesothosaurus may actually be the same dinosaur (synonyms).”
This is because the Fabrosaurus fossil is too poor to fully prove unique characteristics.
If they are determined to be the same species, the name “Lesothosaurus,” which has better specimens, may take precedence, and the name Fabrosaurus could disappear as a nomen dubium (doubtful name).

Human Child Size! A Runner with “Mammal-like Legs”

Although they are in a taxonomic crisis, their physical abilities were excellent and specialized for their environment.

Agile Escape Artist

It was about 1 meter in length and weighed approximately 18 kg.
Standing only about as tall as a human child, its bones were hollow to reduce weight.
Carnivorous dinosaurs like Megapnosaurus existed in Africa at that time, but since Fabrosaurus had no weapons, it protected itself solely by “running away.”

Distinctive Leg Structure

Bipedal in nature, their hind limbs did not splay out to the sides like reptiles, but extended vertically beneath the torso like mammals.
It is believed that they sprinted at considerable speeds by utilizing this efficient running structure, along with spring-like long hind legs and a tail used for balance.

Primitive Ornithischian: No Cheeks and Poor at Chewing

Fabrosaurus belongs to an extremely early group of Ornithischia (herbivorous dinosaurs), which would prosper in later eras.

No Cheeks

Unlike later dinosaurs such as the duck-billed dinosaurs, they did not have developed “cheeks” to hold plants in their mouths.

Simple Teeth

They possessed only small, pointed, simple teeth and could only move their jaws up and down to “slice” vegetation.

They seemingly adopted a simple eating style of biting off plants growing on the ground and swallowing them whole.