Anchisauridae

†Anchisauridae is a family of basal sauropodomorph dinosaurs from the Early Jurassic, with members discovered in South Africa and North America. These slender, primarily herbivorous dinosaurs were among the earliest large-bodied dinosaur lineages, capable of bipedal or quadrupedal locomotion. They are closely related to the ancestry of giant sauropods.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Anchisauridae was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Jurassic Early Mesozoic Era

Anchisauridae lived during the Jurassic Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 201.4 to 174.7 million years ago.

After the Triassic-Jurassic extinction, dinosaurs rapidly diversified and became the dominant land vertebrates. Early sauropods and theropods began to evolve larger body sizes.