Sketch_ Spicy Spicomellus. Pencils, 2025.

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Portrait of dinosauromorph Pisanosaurus mertii from the Late Triassic of Argentina. A partial skeleton of this reptile was discovered in rocks of the Ischigualasto Formation and described in 1967 as belonging to a basal ornithischian. Initially, the animal was even attributed to the Pisanosauridae family. Phylogenetic analyses in 2015 and subsequent years showed it as a relative or even a representative of silesaurids, a group of dinosaurs very close to dinosaurs proper. Pisanosaurus has features of both silesaurids and early ornithischians, which may indicate the relationship of these groups. Judging by the single specimen, it reached a little over a meter in length. The animal's name was given in honor of paleontologist Juan Arnaldo Pisano.

I decided to make a portrait because, due to the uncertain classification, it is not known whether Pisanosaurus was bipedal or quadrupedal. Filamentous structures are speculative.

Antediluvian Ark_Styracosaurus & Brachyceratops. Digital, 2024.

Inspired by Joel Sartore's Photo Ark project and a color scheme by Australian paleoartist Peter Schouten.

References Bell, P.R., Hendrickx, C., Pittman, M. et al. The exquisitely preserved integument of Psittacosaurus and the scaly skin of ceratopsian dinosaurs. Commun Biol 5, 809 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03749-3

Anatomy: Greg S. Paul, Scott Hartman.

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RoughThumbnail_Uteodon. Digital, 2023.

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