Mussaurus

mouse lizard

• mus · Latin · mouse
• sauros · Greek · lizard

Mussaurus means "mouse lizard". It was named because the first specimens found were tiny hatchlings and embryos, only about 20 cm long, which looked mouse-sized. Later discoveries showed that adults grew to around 3 metres or more in length.

Named by

Bonaparte and Vince

Year named

1979

Period

Late Triassic to Early Jurassic

Stages

Norian – Sinemurian

Found in

Laguna Colorada Formation (and possibly the Cañadón Asfalto/Santa Cruz Province region), Patagonia, Argentina

A basal sauropodomorph (early relative of the long-necked sauropods). The type species is Mussaurus patagonicus. Exact stage range and locality details are approximate.