Protognathosaurus

Say it like this: “proh-tog-NAY-tho-SAWR-us”

Protognathosaurus oxyodon

Protognathosaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic. Bones have been found in China.

Quiz me on Protognathosaurus

When: Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic (Bajocian–Oxfordian) · roughly 170.9 to 154.8 million years ago
Named in: 1991 · Olshevsky, G.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 14 m · 46 ft
Weight: Not established
Found in: China · Shaximiao
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Eusauropoda

The story in short

In 1991, G. Olshevsky published the name Protognathosaurus. The name means “early jaw lizard.”

Fossils referred to Protognathosaurus date to the Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic (Bajocian–Oxfordian), roughly 170.9 to 154.8 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Shaximiao Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Protognathosaurus at a length near 14 m.

On the family tree it sits in Eusauropoda, among the sauropod dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Algoasaurus

Algoasaurus bauri

Early Cretaceous (Berriasian · Valanginian) · roughly 143.1 to 132.6 million years ago

Atlasaurus

Atlasaurus imelakei

Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) · roughly 168.2 to 165.3 million years ago

Bagualia

Bagualia alba

Early Jurassic (Toarcian) · roughly 184.2 to 174.7 million years ago