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early long-neck
Blikanasaurus
Say it like this: “bli-KAHN-a-SAWR-us”
Blikanasaurus cromptoni
Blikanasaurus ate plants and walked on two or four legs. It lived in the Late Triassic. Bones have been found in South Africa.
- When
- Late Triassic (Norian · Rhaetian) · roughly 227.3 to 201.4 million years ago
- Named in
- 1985 · Galton, P. M.; Van Heerden, J.
- Hip height
- 1 m · 3 ft
- Length
- 4 m · 13 ft
- Weight
- 200 kg · 441 lb
- Found in
- South Africa · Elliot
- Food and walking
- Herbivore · Two or four legs
- Kind
- early long-neck · Sauropodomorph
- Family branch
- Sauropodiformes
The story in short
Blikanasaurus was formally named in 1985 by P. M. Galton and J. Van Heerden. The name means “lizard from Blikana.”
It lived in the Late Triassic (Norian · Rhaetian), roughly 227.3 to 201.4 million years ago. Finds come from South Africa, including the Elliot Formation. It was a herbivore and could move on two or four legs.
Published estimates put Blikanasaurus at a length near 4 m, hips about 1 m high, and a body mass around 200 kg.
On the family tree it sits in Sauropodiformes, among the early long-necked dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Aardonyx
Aardonyx celestae
Early Jurassic (Hettangian · Sinemurian) · roughly 201.4 to 192.9 million years ago
Anchisaurus
Anchisaurus polyzelus
Early Jurassic (Hettangian · Sinemurian) · roughly 201.4 to 192.9 million years ago
Camelotia
Camelotia borealis
Late Triassic (Rhaetian) · roughly 205.7 to 201.4 million years ago