Outline: a typical early dinosaur
Eodromaeus
"dawn runner"
- Lived
- 237 to 227 million years ago, Late Triassic
- Group
- Early dinosaurs
- Found in
- Argentina
- Named by
- Martinez et al. 2011
Where its fossils were found
The evidence
Today
230 million years ago
Field notes
About Eodromaeus
What it was like
Eodromaeus was a small early theropod about the size of a fox. It had long legs, sharp teeth and a long tail. It is one of the oldest known meat-eating dinosaurs.
Its world
It lived in the Late Triassic, in what is now Argentina. It comes from the Ischigualasto Formation, where it shared the land with Herrerasaurus, Eoraptor and Sanjuansaurus. Dinosaurs were still rare there, and other reptiles ruled.
How it was found
Martinez and colleagues named Eodromaeus in 2011, from several skeletons.
Lived alongside
Found in the same rock formations
Close relatives
Other members of Saurischia
Named in: R. N. Martinez, P. C. Sereno, and O. A. Alcober, C. E. Colombi, P. R. Renne, I. P. Montañez, B. S. Currie. 2011. A basal dinosaur from the dawn of the dinosaur era in southwestern Pangaea. Science 331(6014):206-210