Vulcanodon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids VulcanodonTemporal range: Lower Jurassic
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Vulcanodontidae
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Vulcanodon
Raath, 1972
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Vulcanodon was a type of dinosaur that lived a very long time ago. It roamed the Earth during the early Jurassic period, which was about 208 to 201 million years ago. This dinosaur was one of the first sauropods, known for their long necks and plant-eating habits.
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Meet Vulcanodon: An Early Sauropod
Vulcanodon means "volcano tooth." This name was given because its fossil was found in rocks that looked like they came from a volcano. It was an early member of the sauropod group. Sauropods were giant, plant-eating dinosaurs with long necks and tails.
What Did Vulcanodon Look Like?
Vulcanodon was a medium-sized dinosaur for a sauropod. It grew to be about 20 feet (6.5 meters) long. Imagine a school bus – that's roughly how long this dinosaur was!
It had a long neck and a long tail, just like other sauropods. Its head was quite small compared to its big body. Vulcanodon had strong, thick legs that helped it carry its bulky body.
Special Features of Vulcanodon
One interesting thing about Vulcanodon was its feet. It had claws that looked like nails on its toes. On each big toe, it had an even larger claw. Its front legs were also quite long compared to its back legs.
Where Did Vulcanodon Live?
Scientists found a partial fossil of Vulcanodon in a place called Mashonaland North in Zimbabwe, Africa. This discovery helped us learn about the dinosaurs that lived in Africa millions of years ago.
Images for kids
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Artist's impression of an individual
See also
In Spanish: Vulcanodon karibaensis para niños
