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early long-neck
Gigantoscelus
Say it like this: “jy-GAN-to-SEE-lus”
Gigantoscelus molengraaffi
Gigantoscelus ate plants and walked on two legs. It lived in the Early Jurassic. Bones have been found in South Africa.
- When
- Early Jurassic (Hettangian · Sinemurian) · roughly 201.4 to 192.9 million years ago
- Named in
- 1916 · Van Hoepen, E. C. N.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- Not established
- Weight
- Not established
- Found in
- South Africa · Bushveld Sandstone
- Food and walking
- Herbivore · Two legs
- Kind
- early long-neck · Sauropodomorph
- Family branch
- Sauropodomorpha
The story in short
Gigantoscelus was formally named in 1916 by E. C. N. Van Hoepen.
Fossils referred to Gigantoscelus date to the Early Jurassic (Hettangian · Sinemurian), roughly 201.4 to 192.9 million years ago. Finds come from South Africa, including the Bushveld Sandstone Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.
The fossils of Gigantoscelus are too incomplete for a responsible length, hip height, or weight, so those fields are left blank on purpose.
On the family tree it sits in Sauropodomorpha, among the early long-necked dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Agrosaurus
Agrosaurus macgillivrayi
Late Triassic (Rhaetian) · roughly 205.7 to 201.4 million years ago
Ahvaytum
Ahvaytum bahndooiveche
Late Triassic (Carnian) · roughly 237 to 227.3 million years ago
Arcusaurus
Arcusaurus pereirabdalorum
Early Jurassic (Hettangian · Sinemurian) · roughly 201.4 to 192.9 million years ago