Plateosaurus

Plateosaurus is a genus of plateosaurid sauropodomoran dinosaurs from the Late Triassic period, about 214 to 204 million years ago. It is one of the earliest known large herbivorous dinosaurs and among the best-studied early long-necked dinosaurs. Fossils have been found primarily in Europe, including Germany and nearby regions, with several species described, the most well known being Plateosaurus engelhardti.

In terms of anatomy, Plateosaurus was a relatively large, bipedal to initially quadrupedal herbivore. It had a long neck and tail, a small skull, and leaf-shaped teeth adapted for a plant-based diet. The forelimbs were shorter than the hind limbs, and the animal could walk on two legs but could also use its forelimbs to support its body, especially when feeding. Estimated lengths for individuals typically range around 9 to 10 meters, with body masses in the low tons.

Classification places Plateosaurus within Plateosauridae, a family of early sauropodomorphs, which are distant relatives of later, larger sauropods. Although it is often described as a “prosauropod,” recent analyses emphasize its position as a basal sauropodomorph rather than a true sauropod.

Ecology and paleobiology suggest Plateosaurus was a high-wurity herbivore adapted to feeding on low-lying vegetation. It lived in floodplain or forested environments and is known from several well-preserved skeletons, including mass-death assemblages that have contributed to understanding growth and variation within the species.

Plateosaurus, as one of the earliest large herbivores, played a key role in shaping ideas about the early evolution and diversification of sauropodomorph dinosaurs.