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Anchisaurus

Dinosaur profile

Anchisaurus

Anchisaurus polyzelus

HerbivoreEarly JurassicSauropod

Pronunciation

An-chih-sore-us.

Meaning

Near lizard

Type

Sauropod

Length

2 - 4 meters long

Period

Early Jurassic

Years

190 million years ago

Location

USA

Diet

Herbivore

About Anchisaurus

Anchisaurus is a genus of small, bipedal dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic Period, about 190 million years ago. It was a small, lightweight dinosaur, with an estimated length of about 3-4 feet and a weight of about 15-20 pounds. Anchisaurus had a long, slender neck and a small head with sharp teeth, and it probably had a coat of feathers on its body. It had long, slender legs with three toes on each foot, and it was likely a agile runner.

Anchisaurus was discovered in the United States in the 1840s, and was named by paleontologists in 1855. It is considered a basal member of the theropod group of dinosaurs, which includes more advanced forms such as Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. Anchisaurus is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several partial skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this dinosaur. It is thought to be closely related to other small theropods such as Coppens spoof and Eustreptospondylus.

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