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early dinosaur
Sanjuansaurus
Say it like this: “san-hwan-SOR-us”
Sanjuansaurus gordilloi
Sanjuansaurus ate meat and walked on two legs. It lived in the Late Triassic. Bones have been found in Argentina.
- When
- Late Triassic (Carnian) · roughly 237 to 227.3 million years ago
- Named in
- 2010 · Alcober, O. A.; Martínez, R. N.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- 3 m · 10 ft
- Weight
- 35 kg · 77 lb
- Found in
- Argentina · Ischigualasto
- Food and walking
- Carnivore · Two legs
- Kind
- early dinosaur · Early dinosaur
- Family branch
- Herrerasauridae
The story in short
The genus Sanjuansaurus dates to 2010, the year O. A. Alcober and R. N. Martínez described it. The name means “san Juan Province lizard.”
It lived in the Late Triassic (Carnian), roughly 237 to 227.3 million years ago. Finds come from Argentina, including the Ischigualasto Formation. It was a carnivore and walked on two legs.
Published estimates put Sanjuansaurus at a length near 3 m and a body mass around 35 kg.
On the family tree it sits in Herrerasauridae, among the earliest dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Gnathovorax
Gnathovorax cabreirai
Late Triassic (Carnian) · roughly 237 to 227.3 million years ago
Herrerasaurus
Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis
Late Triassic (Carnian) · roughly 237 to 227.3 million years ago
Staurikosaurus
Staurikosaurus pricei
Late Triassic (Carnian) · roughly 237 to 227.3 million years ago