Herrerasaurus

dinosaur · carnivore · ancient predator · early dinosaur

Ancient hunter. Herrerasaurus was about 20 feet long and weighed around 770 pounds, making it a fearsome predator from the Late Triassic period, over 230 million years ago.

South American fossil. All known fossils of Herrerasaurus have been found in northwestern Argentina, in an ancient rock formation called the Ischigualasto Formation.

Among the earliest. Herrerasaurus is one of the oldest dinosaurs we know about from the fossil record, helping scientists understand what dinosaurs were like when they first appeared on Earth.

Named after a rancher. The dinosaur's name means 'Herrera's lizard,' honoring Victorino Herrera, the rancher who discovered the first fossil in 1958.

Meat eater. Herrerasaurus was a carnivore with sharp teeth and claws, built for hunting other animals in its ancient world.