Anchisaurus
Anchisaurus polyzelus
Pronounced: an - chee - Sore - us
Diet: Herbivore (Plant-eater)
Name Means: "Near Lizard"
Length: 7 ft.(2 meters)
Height: 3ft.(1 meters)
Weight: unknown
Time: Early Jurassic - 190 MYA
Fossil remains for this Dinosaur have
been found in North America
Anchisaurus was one of the first dinosaurs discovered in the
United States. This little plant-eater was an ancestor of the huge
Sauropods that lived later in the Jurassic. It was discovered by
workmen using dynamite to blast apart some rocks while building
shops for the army. It was one of the most perfect dinosaur
skeletons ever discovered and helped scientists understand these
amazing creatures.
Like many early dinosaur discoveries, it went through several
name changes and descriptions. It also exhibits many of the
primitive characteristics of prosauropods. For example, a large
finger on the front leg indicates that it could have moved about on
its back legs and used its hands for feeding or defense. |
