Thecodontosaurus

Graphic representation of Thecodontosaurus

• Western England
• Wales

Thecodontosaurus ( " root tooth lizard" ) was a 2.5 m long dinosaur from the group of Sauropodomorpha, who lived at the end of the Triassic ( Rhaetian ). The genus is known from more than 100 individuals, are found in anatomical connection, the skeletons of adult specimens and a partial skeleton got one about a meter long young animal. All fossil remains have been found in England and Wales.

Type species is Thecodontosaurus antiquus. As nouns dubia Thecodontosaurus dubius and Thecodontosaurus minor apply. The originally asked in the genus Thecodontosaurus Caducus heard now as Pantydraco Caducus to a different genus.

Features

Thecodontosaurus was about 2.5 meters long. The skull was relatively small (5% of body length). As one of the first prosauropods Thecodontosaurus has lancet-shaped teeth with serrated crowns. The hull was relatively short and, as with all primitive prosauropods his front legs were shorter than its back legs. Therefore, it is assumed that Thecodontosaurus to biped was moving (only with the hind legs ).

System

Thecodontosaurus was described in 1836 by Riley and Stuchbury. The reptile was therefore known six years before the description of the dinosaurs by Richard Owen in 1842. Only Thomas Henry Huxley recognized in 1870, the membership of the genus to the dinosaurs. Today he is regarded as representative of the urtümlichster Prosauropoda.

Cladogram:

Thecodontosaurus

Plateosaurus

Massospondylidae

Sauropoda