Open Paleo

Sauropodomorpha

Huene, 1932

Its genera lived 237.0–66.0 million years ago Late Triassic–Late Cretaceous

Sauropodomorpha is a clade of saurischian dinosaurs that includes the long-necked, herbivorous sauropods together with their earlier relatives, the basal forms traditionally grouped as "prosauropods." The clade first appeared among the earliest dinosaurs in the Late Triassic, around 230 million years ago, and persisted until the end-Cretaceous extinction. Its earliest members were small bipeds that were omnivorous or even carnivorous, but over time the group shifted toward plant-eating, larger body size, and, in the true sauropods, quadrupedal locomotion. The sauropods became the dominant terrestrial herbivores through much of the Mesozoic and include the largest animals ever to walk on land. Their remains have been found on every continent, including Antarctica.

Diagnosis

  1. Elongated neck with ten or more cervical vertebrae
  2. Small skull relative to body size
  3. Leaf-shaped or spatulate teeth adapted for herbivory
  4. Enlarged external nares
  5. Large pollex (thumb) claw on manus digit I
  6. Evolutionary trend toward increasing body size

Clades within Sauropodomorpha

Genera placed directly in Sauropodomorpha

  • Agrosaurus Nomen dubium Seeley, 1891 Rhaetian (205.7–201.4 Ma)United Kingdomincertae sedis
  • Ahvaytum Lovelace et al., 2025 Carnian (237.0–227.3 Ma)United States
  • Arcusaurus Yates et al., 2011 Hettangian–Sinemurian (201.4–192.9 Ma)South Africa
  • Asylosaurus Disputed Galton, 2007 Rhaetian (205.7–201.4 Ma)United Kingdomincertae sedis
  • Buriolestes Cabreira et al., 2016 Carnian (237.0–227.3 Ma)Brazil
  • Efraasia Galton, 1973 Norian (227.3–205.7 Ma)Germany
  • Eoraptor Sereno et al., 1993 Carnian (237.0–227.3 Ma)Argentinaincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Euskelosaurus Nomen dubium Huxley, 1866 Norian–Rhaetian (227.3–201.4 Ma)South Africaincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Gigantoscelus Nomen dubium Van Hoepen, 1916 Sinemurian–Toarcian (199.5–174.7 Ma)South Africaincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Guaibasaurus Bonaparte et al., 1999 Norian (227.3–205.7 Ma)Brazilincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Mbiresaurus Griffin et al., 2022 Carnian (237.0–227.3 Ma)Zimbabwe
  • Nambalia Novas et al., 2010 Norian (227.3–205.7 Ma)India
  • Orosaurus Nomen dubium Huxley, 1867 Norian–Rhaetian (227.3–201.4 Ma)South Africaincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Pachysuchus Nomen dubium Young, 1951 Hettangian–Sinemurian (201.4–192.9 Ma)Chinaincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Pantydraco Galton et al., 2007 Rhaetian (205.7–201.4 Ma)United Kingdom
  • Thecodontosaurus Riley & Stutchbury, 1836 Rhaetian (205.7–201.4 Ma)United Kingdom

References

  1. Huene, F. V. (1932). Die fossile Reptil-Ordnung Saurischia, ihre Entwicklung und Geschichte [The fossil reptile order Saurischia, their development and history]. Monographien zur Geologie und Palaeontologie, serie 1 4(1-2): 1-361.

    Named Sauropodomorpha for the prosauropods together with the sauropods, which form their direct continuation (p. 18); the name first appears on p. 4.

    huene1932a
  2. Sereno, P. C. (2007). Basal Sauropodomorpha: historical and recent phylogenetic hypotheses, with comments on Ammosaurus major (Marsh, 1889). Special Papers in Palaeontology 77: 261-289.

    Defined Sauropodomorpha as the most inclusive clade containing Saltasaurus loricatus but not Passer domesticus or Triceratops horridus.

    sereno2007a