#sarahsaurus

"Hunted by Moonlight" | Dinosauria Series | Animated Short Film (2025)

quick Sarahsaurus bust and pattern reference

Hi there!

Source: askedmontonia

Name: Sarahsaurus aurifontanalis 

Name Meaning: Sarah’s lizard 

First Described: 2011

Described By: Rowe, Sues & Reisz 

Classification: Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Sauropodmorpha, Plateosauria, Massopoda

Sarahsaurus was another basal sauropodomorph, but from the Early Jurassic rather than the late Triassic - specifically, the Sinemurian to Pliensbachlan ages of the early Jurassic, anywhere between 199 and 182 million years ago. It was found in the Kayenta Formation in Arizona. It was about 4.3 meters long, and a little over 1 meter high. It is one of the few basal sauropodomorphs known from North America. It had very large, powerful hands, which could indicate that it was an omnivore. It lived near many rivers, and where it lived was characterized by rainy summers and dry winters, though it was surrounded by a sandy dune field in the North. Thus, it would have been adapted for a seasonal climate. It lived alongside many other dinosaurs, such as Dilophosaurus, Kayntavenator, Mgapnosaurus, Scelidosaurus, and Scutellosaurus. There were plenty of other animals, too, meaning it lived in an ecologically diverse and vibrant community. 

Sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarahsaurus

http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/s/sarahsaurus.html

Sarahsaurus. This was a late Jurassic sauropodomorph dinosaur. Its large powerful hands suggest it was possibly an opportunistic omnivore, and though it probably wouldn't have killed any large prey, it could have used its claws to tear apart carcasses or dig into small animal burrows. The most obvious use for its hands would have been digging up roots or pulling down branches.