Panphagia

Panphagia is one of the earliest recognized sauropodomorph dinosaurs, unearthed from the Late Triassic rocks of the Ischigualasto Formation in north-western Argentina. 2 metres from snout to tail tip, weighing no more than a domestic cat or small dog. Unlike the gigantic four-legged sauropods that would descend from its lineage millions of years later, Panphagia was a nimble biped with grasping hands. Its genus name, which translates to all-eater, reflects its crucial dietary transitional status: the teeth towards the front of the jaw were curved and pointed for taking small prey, while the teeth further back displayed serrated edges suited to shredding vegetation. Panphagia provides critical fossil proof that the herbivorous giants of the Jurassic started out as small, versatile generalists.

Its mixed dentition reflects the dietary transition from meat-eating ancestors to plant-eating sauropods.

Where and when

Panphagia lived in the Late Triassic, from 231.4 to 228 million years ago (Carnian age). Its remains come from Argentina, in the Ischigualasto Formation.

The numbers

Length 1.2 m (estimates run from 1.1 to 1.3 m). Mass about 5.7 kg. Hip height about 0.4 m. That is 0.7 human-lengths, or 0.11 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from partial skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

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