Nhandumirim

Nhandumirim means 'small rhea' in the Tupi-Guarani language, because it was a speedy little dinosaur like a rhea bird.21

Its fossils were found in a small area, only about 50 centimeters wide, and were semi-articulated, meaning many bones were still in their original positions.2

The tail bones of Nhandumirim have a sharp keel along the bottom, a feature that helps scientists tell it apart from other early dinosaurs.2

Nhandumirim lived in a floodplain environment, alongside other ancient animals like the rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon and the early dinosaur Saturnalia.1

This dinosaur is about 233 million years old, making it one of the oldest known dinosaurs from the Triassic Period.24

Scientists think Nhandumirim could run fast on its long, slender legs, just like the bird it was named after.2