Eodromaeus
Eodromaeus was a small, fast dinosaur that lived at the dawn of the dinosaur age. It was one of the earliest theropods, the group that includes T. rex and Velociraptor. This little runner hunted insects and small animals in what is now Argentina.21
When did it live?
How big was it?
How long was it?
How heavy was it?
How big was Eodromaeus compared to YOU?
Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Fun facts
Eodromaeus had very fine serrations on its teeth, about nine per millimeter, which helped it cut through meat.2
It was one of the oldest known theropods, living around 230 million years ago during the Late Triassic.1
Eodromaeus had a long, slender body and long legs, making it a fast runner.1
Its name means 'dawn runner' because it lived at the beginning of the dinosaur era and was built for speed.1
The first Eodromaeus fossil was discovered by a volunteer named Jim Murphy in the Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina.2
Eodromaeus had a small skull with large eye openings, suggesting it had good eyesight for hunting.2
It had four fingers on each hand, with sharp claws for grabbing prey.2
Most asked questions about Eodromaeus
?How big was Eodromaeus?
Eodromaeus was about 1.2 meters long from nose to tail and weighed around 4.5 to 6.8 kilograms. One study estimated its mass at 7.1 kilograms.1
?How fast could Eodromaeus run?
Paul Sereno estimated that Eodromaeus could run about 32 kilometers per hour. It had long hindlimbs and was built for speed, even among early dinosaurs.1
?What did Eodromaeus eat?
Eodromaeus was a carnivore that ate insects and small animals. It had knife-shaped teeth with fine serrations to cut through meat.1
?When did Eodromaeus live?
Eodromaeus lived about 230 million years ago during the Late Triassic period, specifically in the Carnian stage. Its fossils were found in the Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina.1
?Is Eodromaeus a dinosaur?
Yes, Eodromaeus is a dinosaur. It is a basal theropod, meaning it is one of the earliest members of the group that includes T. rex and Velociraptor.1
?Who discovered Eodromaeus?
Eodromaeus was first discovered in 1996 by paleontologist Ricardo N. Martinez and Earthwatch volunteer Jim Murphy. The species name Eodromaeus murphi honors Murphy.1
Ask Rex about Eodromaeus
Rex only answers questions about this page. 3 questions a day.
Rex is an AI and can make mistakes. He runs on servers in the EU and questions are never saved. Never type your name or other personal things.
For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Eodromaeus
- Named by
- Martinez et al. 20113
- Group
- First dinosaurs
- Family / clade
- Saurischia3
- Age of the rocks
- 237 to 227 million years (Carnian)3
- Rock formations
- Ischigualasto3
- Countries
- Argentina3
- Fossil records
- 1 in the Paleobiology Database3
- Discovery
- Eodromaeus was named in 2011 by a team of scientists led by Ricardo N. Martinez. The first skeleton was found by Earthwatch volunteer Jim Murphy in the Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina.12
- Still debated
- Scientists are still debating whether Eodromaeus is a true theropod or a very early relative of sauropodomorphs.1
Where the facts come from
- Eodromaeus (en.wikipedia.org)
- A Basal Dinosaur from the Dawn of the Dinosaur Era in Southwestern (ri.conicet.gov.ar)
- Eodromaeus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are dino fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
Rex is hungry! Dino Wiki is a dad's project for his dino-loving son, free with no ads. Grown-ups can feed Rex a snack to help keep it online.Feed Rex
Herrerasaurus
Tawa
Chindesaurus
Nyasasaurus
Staurikosaurus
Alwalkeria
Nothosaurus
Massospondylus
Plateosaurus
Coelophysis
Podokesaurus
Simosaurus