Chromogisaurus
| Chromogisaurus Temporal range: Late Triassic, 230 Ma | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| 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.