Saturnalia (dinosaur)

Saturnalia is a very early sauropodomorph dinosaur, from the Carnian faunal stage of the late Triassic (227.4 to 220.7 million years ago). The holotype was discovered in mid-winter in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and additional remains were discovered during the Roman winter solstice festival, Saturnalia; it was named for that and a local Portuguese/Guarani word meaning native, in 1999. It is one of the oldest true dinosaurs yet found; the partial skeleton and referred remains from two other specimens including a jaw and teeth, has many prosauropod features yet lacks other characteristics shared by all dinosaurs which may indicate sauropodomorpha is polyphyletic. Unlike the later, more massive sauropodomorphs it is quite slim.

Related Topics:
Dinosaur - Faunal stage - Triassic - Million years ago - Holotype - Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil - Roman - Winter solstice - Saturnalia - Portuguese - Guarani - Jaw - Teeth - Prosauropod - Polyphyletic

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