Reptile
Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis
Herrerasaurus ischigualastensisHerrerasaurus prowled the riparian floodplains of Late Triassic western Gondwana as one of Earth's earliest large predatory dinosaurs. Its bipedal stance, grasping five-fingered hands, and specialized sliding joint in the lower jaw enabled it to tackle armored synapsids and reptiles. Long slender hindlimbs indicate it relied on bursts of speed to ambush terrestrial prey before competing rauisuchian predators arrived.
PrehistoricCarnivorousBipedal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyHyperodapedon sanjuanensis, Exaeretodon argentinus, Pisanosaurus mertii
Predators
- Saurosuchus galilei
- Fasolasuchus tenax
ThreatsCompetition with massive rauisuchians and seasonal droughts (prehistoric)
HabitatsVolcanic river valleys, semi-arid plains, and seasonal riparian woodlands
Life spanEstimated 15–25 years
Classification
- FamilyHerrerasauridae
- GenusHerrerasaurus
- SpeciesHerrerasaurus ischigualastensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Extinct species known only from Late Triassic fossil deposits.
Responsible observation
- Museum Exhibits: Look for the flexible joint in fossil skull casts that helped grasp prey.
- Fossil Locations: Visit Ischigualasto Provincial Park in Argentina where the fossils were unearthed.
Competitor Kentaro Ohno / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Contemporary Neighbor Rjcastillo / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Prey Daderot / Public domain · cc0
Prey CT Snow from Hsinchu, Taiwan / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Ivan Sabrodski / CC BY 3.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Kabacchi / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
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