Podokesaurus

Podokesaurus.
Podokesaurus is a genus of coelophysoid dinosaur that lived in what is now the eastern United States during the Early Jurassic Period between 201 and 190 million years ago. Its only fossil was discovered by the geologist Mignon Talbot near Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 1910. Talbot described and named the new genus and species Podokesaurus holyokensis based on it, becoming the first woman to find and describe a dinosaur. The holotype fossil (pictured) was recognised as significant and was studied by other researchers, but was lost when the building it was in burned down in 1917; no unequivocal Podokesaurus specimens have since been discovered. It was nominated as the state dinosaur of Massachusetts in 2021. Estimated to have been about 1 m (3 ft) in length and 1–40 kg (2–90 lb) in weight, Podokesaurus was lightly constructed with hollow bones and it is estimated it could have run at 15–20 km/h (9–12 mph). It is believed to have been a fleet-footed predator, with powerful forelimbs and grasping hands.

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