Chromogisaurus
Chromogisaurus Temporal range: Late Triassic, 230 Ma | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Clade: | Dinosauria |
Order: | Saurischia |
Suborder: | †Sauropodomorpha |
Family: | †Guaibasauridae |
Subfamily: | †Saturnaliinae |
Genus: | †Chromogisaurus Ezcurra, 2010 |
Species: | †C. novasi |
Binomial name | |
Chromogisaurus novasi Ezcurra, 2010 | |
Chromogisaurus is a sauropodomorph which existed in Argentina during the late Triassic period.[1]
Chromogisaurus was first named by Martín Daniel Ezcurra in 2010, and the type species is Chromogisaurus novasi.[1] The generic name is derived from Greek chroma, "colour", and gè, "earth", a reference to the Valle Pintado, the "Painted Valley". The specific name honours Fernando Emilio Novas.
The holotype, PVSJ 846, has been found in a layer of the Ischigualasto Formation dating from the Carnian. This makes Chromogisaurus one of the oldest known dinosaurs. The specimen consists of a partial skeleton lacking the skull. It includes elements of the front and hind limbs; the pelvis and two caudal vertebrae.
Chromogisaurus was a herbivore and about two metres long. According to Ezcurra it was optionally quadrupedal.
A cladistic analysis by Ezcurra indicated Chromogisaurus was a member of a clade of basal Sauropodomorpha, the Guaibasauridae, together with Guaibasaurus, the disputed Agnosphitys, Panphagia and Saturnalia. Within Guaibasauridae it forms a smaller clade with its sister taxon Saturnalia, the Saturnaliinae.