Chromogisaurus
| Chromogisaurus Temporal range: Late Triassic,
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Family: | †Saturnaliidae |
| Genus: | †Chromogisaurus Ezcurra, 2010 |
| Species: | †C. novasi
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| Binomial name | |
| †Chromogisaurus novasi Ezcurra, 2010
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Chromogisaurus is a sauropodomorph which existed in Argentina during the late Triassic period.[1]
Chromogisaurus was first named by Martín Daniel Ezcurra in 2010, and the type species is Chromogisaurus novasi.[1] The generic name is derived from Greek chroma, "colour", and gè, "earth", a reference to the Valle Pintado, the "Painted Valley". The specific name honours Fernando Emilio Novas.
The holotype, PVSJ 846, has been found in a layer of the Ischigualasto Formation dating from the Carnian. This makes Chromogisaurus one of the oldest known dinosaurs. The specimen consists of a partial skeleton lacking the skull. It includes elements of the front and hind limbs; the pelvis and two caudal vertebrae.
Chromogisaurus was a herbivore and about two metres long. According to Ezcurra it was optionally quadrupedal.
A cladistic analysis by Ezcurra indicated Chromogisaurus was a member of a clade of basal Sauropodomorpha, the Guaibasauridae, together with Guaibasaurus, the disputed Agnosphitys, Panphagia and Saturnalia. Within Guaibasauridae it forms a smaller clade with its sister taxon Saturnalia, the Saturnaliinae.
References
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