Vulcanodon

Vulcanodon was an early sauropod dinosaur that lived in southern Africa during the Early Jurassic, around 185 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered embedded in sandstone between lava beds near Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe. Reaching about six to seven metres in length, Vulcanodon is an important transitional taxon illustrating the evolution from small, bipedal ancestors into colossal quadrupedal herbivores. It had pillar-like, weight-bearing limbs with a flattened first toe claw, characteristic of true sauropods. When initially described, knife-like teeth discovered with the skeleton prompted researchers to believe it was an omnivorous or carnivorous prosauropod, but these were subsequently revealed to belong to a predatory theropod that had fed on the carcass. Vulcanodon was an obligate quadruped that fed on high ferns and early conifers.

The sharp teeth originally thought to belong to it were later identified as those of an unknown predator that scavenged its body.

Where and when

Vulcanodon lived in the Early Jurassic, from 190 to 182 million years ago (Pliensbachian-Toarcian age). Its remains come from Zimbabwe, in the Batoka Formation.

The numbers

Length 6.8 m (estimates run from 6.5 to 7 m). Mass about 4 t. Hip height about 2 m. That is 4 human-lengths, or 0.61 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from partial skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, first ma, last ma, hip height.

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