Discover the Unaysaurus, a Black Water Lizard

The Unaysaurus is one of the oldest dinosaurs discovered in Brazil, and its fossils date back to almost 225 million years ago! As a friendly sauropodomorph, it spent its days grazing on plants, seeds, and berries in forested areas in what is now known as Brazil. It was small, not all that scary, and one of the very first dinos (that we know of) to make its grand debut on planet Earth.

Some Quick Facts About the Unaysaurus

The Unaysaurus is important because it is one of the oldest dinosaurs that lived almost 225 million years ago. As an early sauropod or prosauropod, it was a strict herbivore that walked on its hind legs and had small front arms like a tiny, friendly T-rex. Keep reading to learn more about this very early dinosaur!

Where was the Unaysaurus Discovered?

The late Triassic Unaysaurus is an early dinosaur discovered relatively recently. It was found in 1998 and made its grand debut in the scientific journal Zootaxa in 2004. Paleontologists unearthed a near-complete skeleton in Rio Grande do Sul in the beds of the Caturrita Formation in Paraná Basin, Brazil.

This area of Brazil is very important in understanding the origins of Dinosauria. Some of the oldest and most notable dinosaur discoveries were made in the Caturrita Formation, just like the Unaysaurus. These discoveries led scientists to believe Brazil was the home of all dinosaurs walking the Earth!

What Did the Unaysaurus Look Like?

These non-threatening Triassic dinosaurs were much smaller than later sauropods. Unlike quadrupedal (or four-legged) dinos, this Black Water Lizard (or agua negra lizard) was bipedal or walked around on its hind legs. It had very short forearms, like a raptor, that it used to grab onto plants to take a nibble.

Unlike colossal sauropods like the Brachiosaurus in the Jurassic period, the Unaysaurus was surprisingly small. If an adult were to stumble across this Carnian age dino, it would only come up shy of their hips. Think of the Unaysaurus as a huge, lizard-like dog!

What Did a Unaysaurus Eat?

The fossil remains of the Unaysaurus delivered an almost-complete skull so paleontologists can understand precisely what this dino liked to eat. Its flatter teeth without sharp edges land this dino in the herbivore category (together with a Kentrosaurus, a Leptoceratops, and a Styracosaurus) which means that its diet was 100 percent plant-based.

Since it was so small and short, it couldn’t reach its long neck to eat the leaves of tall trees. It ate mostly smaller plants, seeds, and berries in woodland or grassy areas.

Where Did a Unaysaurus Live?

The Unaysaurus lived in what is now known as Brazil in South America, but the world looked very different back then. During the Triassic age, the world was just one big continent known as the supercontinent of Pangaea. As the continents shifted, the fossils of dinosaurs moved with them.

The area now known as Brazil was the perfect spot for these early dinosaurs because it was warm, there was plenty of plant vegetation to keep their bellies full, and there weren’t any natural predators.

What’s also interesting about the Unaysaurus is that it is very similar to the Plateosaurus dinosaurs found in Germany and the Issi saaneq in Greenland. The findings of the Plateosaurus and Issi saaneqand suggest that the Unaysaurus moved around the supercontinent of Pangaea with ease and may have lived in more than just one location in Brazil.

How Old is a Unaysaurus?

Fun fact: the Unaysaurus was one of the oldest dinosaurs ever. It lived in the late Triassic period almost 225 million years ago! The location of the fossils also plays a significant role in understanding the origins of dinosaurs.

The Caturrita Formation, where these fossils were found, is home to some of the oldest dinos. Many paleontologists believe this area in Brazil was the home of the first dinosaurs, thanks to the historical findings of the Unaysaurus.