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early long-neck
Melanorosaurus
Say it like this: “me-LAN-or-o-SAWR-us”
Melanorosaurus readi
Melanorosaurus ate plants and meat and walked on 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
- 1924 · Haughton, S. H.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- 8 m · 26 ft
- Weight
- 1.3 tonnes
- Found in
- South Africa · Elliot
- Food and walking
- Omnivore · Four legs
- Kind
- early long-neck · Sauropodomorph
- Family branch
- Sauropodiformes
The story in short
Melanorosaurus was formally named in 1924 by S. H. Haughton. The name honors a person tied to the fossil or its study.
Fossils referred to Melanorosaurus date to 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 an omnivore and walked on four legs.
Published estimates put Melanorosaurus at a length near 8 m and a body mass around 1.3 tonnes.
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
Blikanasaurus
Blikanasaurus cromptoni
Late Triassic (Norian · Rhaetian) · roughly 227.3 to 201.4 million years ago