Explore Melanorosaurus, the Black Mountain Lizard

Melonorosaurus
The Melanorosaurus was one of the first colossal sauropods. In the early Triassic period, most dinosaurs were small and speedy. The gentle plant-eating Melanorosaurus, however, was bigger than a school bus and about as heavy as a Great White Shark. It walked on all fours, unlike other sauropods at the time, and was discovered in the hills of Southern Africa. Keep reading to learn more about this amazing Black Moutain lizard!

Some Quick Facts about the Melanorosaurus

Melanorosaurus in its habitat
Melanorosaurus in its habitat
NameMelanorosaurus (meaning “Black Mountain Lizard”)
Type of dinosaurEarly Sauropod (or Prosauropod)
TerritoryRocky Plains
Size30-40 feet long, 12 feet tall
ColorDark
Interesting CharacteristicsWalked on all fours, sharp triangular skull, very long body
DietPlants, leaves, and sometimes meat
Major ThreatsNatural disasters

The Melanorosaurus was a very early sauropod in the late Triassic period. During the Triassic period in Dinosauria, prosauropods were very common. The Melanorosaurus couldn’t wait until the Jurassic period to make its grand debut.

Therefore, it was one of the very first sauropods, which is why it’s so special. And unlike other gentle sauropods, it was an omnivore, which meant it ate both plants and meat.

What Was the Size of the Melanorosaurus?

The Melanorosaurus was large and in charge! While it’s not the largest dino in the Triassic period (that title belongs to the ​Saurosuchus), it was surprisingly large for early sauropods. Many early sauropods, or prosauropods, were about the size of a huge dog.

This basal sauropodomorph, however, was more like a dog-shaped school bus! Some may have been even bigger than a school bus.

This unique sauropoda walked on all fours, meaning it was quadrupedal, although its front legs were a little shorter than its hind legs. It stood 12 feet tall and was 30 to 40 feet long. These thunder lizards were also insanely hefty.

It’s estimated that they weighed around 1.3 tons. To put that into perspective, these massive sauropodomorph dinosaurs weighed about as much as a Great White Shark. Just imagine a Great White Shark walking on land! That’s pretty scary.

What Did the Melanorosaurus Eat?

Melanorosaurus
Melanorosaurus

If you lived during the late Triassic period, you wouldn’t need to be afraid of these enormous prosauropods. We know they were herbivorous and mainly ate plants, fruit, leaves, and seeds from tall trees. It had flat-back teeth similar to later sauropods in the Jurassic period.

While they mostly ate plants, some paleontologists believed that they sometimes ate meat when fruits and veggies were scarce. Some paleontologists believe they were herbivores, while others think they were omnivores or ate meat (like small reptiles) and plants.

Who Discovered the Melanorosaurus?

English paleontologist Sidney Haughton discovered the first fossils of the Melanorosaurus in 1924. They were unearthed in South Africa in the Lower Elliot Formation and were determined to come from the Norian age of the Triassic almost 230 million years ago.

At the Elliot Formation, Haughton unearthed a femur along with six other bones. It wasn’t until 2007 that a complete skull was found in the upper Elliot region. While the discovery was terrific, many paleontologists feel that the skull doesn’t match the initial findings because it was discovered in a different area than the original bones.

The term Melanorosaurus translates to “Black Mountain Lizard.” It earned this name based upon the location where it was found, the Thaba ‘Nyama, or Black mountain. Melanoro means black mountain, and Saurus means lizard.

Why Was the Melanorosaurus Important?

When we think of dinosaurs, we think of large, colossal creatures walking the Earth (like a Lambeosaurus), but that wasn’t always the case. During the upper Triassic periods, dinos were the star of the show. The Triassic period was the age of reptiles, and the few dinos were tiny. However, the Melanorosaurus changed all that.

This surprisingly large prosauropoda set the stage for the Jurassic period when colossal dinosaurs overtook the age of the reptiles. It was one of the largest dinosaur discoveries in the late Triassic period and laid the foundation for the more enormous sauropods, like the Diplodocus, Brachiosaurus, and Apatosaurus.

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.

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