Melanorosaurus

Live reconstruction of the Melanorosaurus

• South Africa

• Melanorosaurus readi
• Melanorosaurus thabanensis

Melanorosaurus ( Black Mountain Lizard, from the Greek μελανο - ορος - σαυρος ( melano - oros -saurus ) ) was a herbivorous dinosaur from the group of Plateosauria. He lived in the Upper Triassic ( Norian early ) before about 228-217 million years ago.

The first description of this species was made in 1924 by Sidney Henry Haughton after loose skull remains ( Postkrania ) were found on the northern slope of the Thaba ' Nyama in Transkei, South Africa. A complete skull was discovered and described in 2007.

So far we know two types of Melanorosaurus: Melanorosaurus thabanensis and Melanorosaurus readi, the latter is regarded as the type species. The findings come from the stratigraphic layers of the Elliot Formation, an important fossil find employment in South Africa.

Description

Melanorosaurus could be up to 12 meters long. His big body and his legs were very robust. It is concluded that he moved on four legs. Like most sauropods his vortex to save weight were permeated with air-filled chambers ( pneumatized ).

The skull was about 25 inches long and ran to the front of a triangular shape. The Zwischenkieferbein was armed with four teeth per side, this is a characteristic of all primitive Sauropodomorpha. Furthermore, the maxillary had 19 teeth each per side.

Classification

So far, there were Melanorosaurus to the group of prosauropods. However, it now counts him because of the latest research findings on the early sauropods.