Anchisaurus

early dinosaur · long neck · early jurassic

Long-necked pioneer. Anchisaurus was one of the earliest dinosaurs to develop a long neck, a feature that would become famous in giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus. It lived 200 to 192 million years ago during the Early Jurassic Period.

Two-legged walker. Unlike the massive sauropods that came later, Anchisaurus was relatively small and probably walked on its hind legs, using its long tail for balance. As it grew, it may have sometimes dropped to all fours.

Fossil formation. Scientists found Anchisaurus fossils in red sandstone in the northeastern United States, preserved in rock layers that were laid down during the very beginning of the Jurassic Period.

Name with history. The name Anchisaurus comes from Greek words meaning 'near lizard.' Scientists had to rename it multiple times because earlier names like Megadactylus were already used for other creatures.