Very HardMassospondylus
Massospondylus carinatus
MASS-oh-SPON-dih-lus· “elongated vertebra”
🦕 Dinosaur🕰️ Jurassic🌿 herbivore🦴 Massospondylidae
4 m
Length
1.5 m
Height
135 kg
Weight
An early sauropodomorph from Early Jurassic southern Africa that walked on two legs and browsed plants with a small head on a long neck. Nests of its eggs and embryos are among the oldest known.
When
Early Jurassic, ~200–183 million years ago
Found in
South Africa
Discovered
Richard Owen, 1854
Did you know?
- An early relative of the giant sauropods, but only about 4 m long.
- Fossil nests preserve some of the oldest known dinosaur embryos.
- Walked on two legs despite its long-necked, plant-eating build.
Artwork: Nobu Tamura, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.