Vulcanodon karibaensis

Vulcanodon was a small primitive sauropod from the Early Jurassic of Africa. It was originally classified as a melanosaurid prosauropod based on sharp teeth associated with the skeleton but it was since then shown that the teeth belonged to an unidentified theropod that was scavenging on the remains of Vulcanodon.

Name

Vulcanodon karibaensis

Authority

Raath, 1972

Meaning of generic name

Volcano tooth

Meaning of specific name

From Lake Kariba

Size

Length: 6.5 m, Skull length: ?

Remains

Holotype (QG 24): postcranial skeleton (pelvis, hindlimb and foot, forearm, proximal section of the tail)

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Vulcanodon Beds Formation, Lower Jurassic (Hettangian).

Locality: Lake Kariba Island, Mashonaland, Zimbabwe.

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Vulcanodontidae

Further Reading

M. A. Raath. 1972. Fossil vertebrate studies in Rhodesia: a new dinosaur (Reptilia: Saurischia) from near the Tria-Jurassic boundary. Arnoldia 5(31):1-37.

Image by Tobu Namura (click to enlarge)

Vulcanodon karibaensis: