The Saltopus was a relatively small bipedal dinosaur during the late Carnian (or late Triassic) period. The remains of this carnivore (meat-eater) were found in Scotland. The Saltopus is said to have eaten insects and scavenged carcasses. However, some information about this animal is unclear.
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Some Quick Facts about the Saltopus
| Name | Saltopus (meaning “hopping foot” in Greek) |
| Type of dinosaur | A small theropod |
| Territory | Swamps in Western Europe |
| Size | 3 feet long, 1 feet tall |
| Color | Grayish |
| Interesting Characteristics | Sharp teeth; five fingers on each hand |
| Diet | Insects, meat (carnivore) |
| Major Threats | Larger predators and natural disasters |
The Saltopus is an early dinosaur that lived approximately 230 million years ago. The remains of this creature were discovered in Scotland.
The Saltopus was one of the most miniature and fastest-moving dinosaurs. It was a carnivore (meat-eater) from the Triassic period. This creature is often described as being the size of a small cat.
What Is a Saltopus?
The Saltopus was a small-sized Triassic reptile that lived between the earliest dinosaurs and the most recent archosaurs. The term “Saltopus” is Greek for “jumping foot” or “hopping foot.”
Since the discovered fossil of the Saltopus is incomplete, there’s been a lot of debate about how this creature should be classified. Some experts consider it an early theropod, while others believe it was a dinosauriform archosaur (a close relative of dinosaurs) like the Marasuchus.
However, evidence suggests that the Saltopus is a late Triassic-period dinosauriform and not an actual dinosaur.
What Did the Saltopus Eat?
The Saltopus is thought to have mainly eaten insects and most likely scavenged animal carcasses. However, no teeth or skull fossils are available to verify this.
If these animals were predators, chances are that they would have hunted for smaller animals like lizards and invertebrates like scorpions and beetles.
What Was the Size of the Saltopus?
Since the discovered fossils were incomplete, some details about the Saltopus are unclear. However, it is safe to say that the Saltopus was a small theropod around 3 feet long, 1 foot tall, and weighed approximately 2 pounds (about the size of a Procompsognathus). In other words, it was the size of a small cat.
The Saltopus had a broad head with rows of small, sharp teeth. It had five fingers on each hand, with the fourth and fifth fingers being smaller.
A Saltopus had two legs and was a fast runner. Dino speeds are approximated using their structural features, such as their body mass and leg length, as well as their fossilized pathways.
When Did the Saltopus Live?
The Saltopus existed in the late Carnian (late Triassic) period, around 230 million years ago, when the planet was warmer than it is today.
The Saltopus was one of the earliest dinosaurs; only a few dinos existed before this period. As a result, most dinosaurs can be connected back to what we know of the Saltopus.
Where Did the Saltopus Live?
The dinosaur Saltopus lived during the Upper Triassic of Scotland. William Taylor discovered its remains at the Lossiemouth Sandstone Formation quarries in 1910. The animal was described the species Saltopus elginensis by Friedrich von Huene (1910).
The Saltopus was a predator. This means it lived where it could easily prey on the smaller sauropods. They lived in herds or packs to catch prey easily and defend themselves against larger predators.
Where Is the Saltopus in the Dino Family Tree?
Only a few remains of the Saltopus (mostly hindlimbs) have been found to date, making classification problematic. Over time, the Saltopus has been classified as a:
- Theropod (a fast-running bipedal carnivore with large, stocky forelimbs and five-fingered hands)
- Coelophysis (a small, lightly-built, ground-dwelling bipedal carnivore)
- Compsognathus (a genus of tiny, bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs)
- Archosaur (an ancestor of all dinosaurs)
- Saurischian (reptilian or lizard-hipped dinosaurs)
The Saltopus is also a close relative of the Herrerasaurus dinosaur. However, its taxonomy is debatable because only a few fragmentary fossils have been found.
The Saltopus may also have been an ornithischian (a close relative of dinosaurs) or a lagosuchid like Marasuchus (an extinct reptile closely related to dinos) rather than a real dinosaur. The assumed Saltopus fossils might also be incomplete fossils of a completely different creature.