Meet the Chindesaurus, a Ghost Dino

Chindesaurus
The Chindesaurus, or Ghost Lizard, is a dinosaur mystery! Many of its fossil remains were unearthed from the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. However, one important piece of the puzzle was missing: the skull. Paleontologists used similar dinos and compare them to the body type of this mystery Triassic dinosaur to gain a better understanding.

Some Quick Facts About the Chindesaurus

Chindesaurus bryansmalli
Chindesaurus bryansmalli
NameChindesaurus (meaning “Chinde lizard”)
Type of dinosaurSaurischia
TerritoryDense forests and swamps, North America
Size9-13 feet long, 3.2 feet tall
ColorDark
Interesting CharacteristicsVery long and powerful hind legs
DietFish
Major ThreatsNatural disasters

The Chindesaurus was a Saurischia (like an Ornithomimus), a late Triassic dinosaur that roamed what is now the southwestern United States in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Even today, this early dinosaur is a bit of a mystery, with many of its fossils yet to be discovered.

Much of what we know about the Chindesaurus comes from what we know about similar dinos that lived in the late Triassic period, like the Tawa Hallae or the Herrerasaurus. Keep reading to learn all about this mysterious ghost dinosaur!

What Is the Meaning of Chindesaurus?

When the Chindesaurus was first discovered in 1984, it was nicknamed Gertie from an old cartoon from the early 1900s. Eventually, it earned the name Chindesaurus after the location where it was found near the Chinle Formation at the Bull Canyon Formation.

You can also break down its name into two parts, ‘Chindi’ and ‘Saurus.’ Chindi is an old Navajo word meaning “evil spirit” or “ghost.” And Saurus, of course, means lizard. So, when you break down the name of the Cindesaurus, it can mean “ghost lizard” or “ Lizard from Chinde Point.”

What Is Missing from the Chindesaurus Fossil?

The Chinedesaurus is a bit of a mystery. Most of its fossil remains were unearthed by paleontologist Bryan Small in 1984, with one expectation: the skull. That’s a pretty important puzzle piece still hiding in the earth!

So, how can paleontologists learn so much about this Ghost Lizard without a skull? The size and shape of the Chindesaurus share a lot in common with a similar late Triassic theropoda, the Tawa Hallae. Using the Tawa Hallae as a guide, scientists can fill in the missing fossil gaps using the Tawa Hallae as a guide.

What Did the Chindesaurus Eat?

Even without a skull found, we can assume that the Chindesaurus had a similar diet to the Tawa Hallae. We know it was a carnivore, dined on smaller replies, lizards, and bugs. It used its strong back legs to chase down prey and held its prey in its small arms as it used its sharp teeth to eat the meat.

However, remember that we don’t have a complete skull to investigate its teeth. Paleontologists use the shape of teeth to understand what the dino liked to eat. It was likely a meat eater if it had sharp, razor-like teeth. If its teeth were flat, it liked to eat plants.

While many scientists compare this dino to other meat-eaters based on the shape of its femur or tibia, it could also have been a herbivore. Without a complete skull and teeth, we may never know for sure.

How Big was the Chindesaurus?

Size comparison to a human
Size comparison to a human

Just like other late Triassic dinos, the Chindesaurus was small. We didn’t see many of the gigantic dinosaurs until the Jurassic period, so the small stature of the Chindesaurus made it fit right in. Even though it was small, it didn’t have a lot of natural predators to worry about.

The size of Chindesaurus was about the size of a very long dog. It was around 9 feet long, only stood 3 feet tall, and weighed anywhere between 50-100 pounds.

Why is The Ghost Lizard Such a Mystery?

The few fossil remains of the Chindesaurus are a real head-scratcher in the world of paleontology. It’s important to note that since there are so few fossils found of the Chinesaurus, its classification is a bit of a mystery.

While some paleontologists, like Bryan Small, use other theropods like the Tawa Hallae as a guide, others feel it is more closely related to a prosauropod or a herrerasaurid. Paleontologists R.A. Long and P.A. Murry feel it’s more closely related to a late Triassic period plant-eating dino like the Herrerasaurus. We may never know unless modern paleontologists can discover a skull for old Gertie (and investigate its teeth and jaw structure)!

Tara Summerville

Tara is an artistic writer who loves shaping language around her message. For her, dinosaurs are one of the most remarkable creatures to set foot on Earth. She loves hanging out with goats, overanalyzing TV shows, and eating feijoada with farofa.

Recent Posts