A–ZAdd dino

"Herrera's lizard"

Herrerasaurus

Late Triassic · 231 MyaCarnivoreArgentina

Where it all began. Herrerasaurus stalked the Ischigualasto valley 231 million years ago, when dinosaurs were still a rare experiment making up barely one animal in twenty. Named after Victorino Herrera, the Andean goat herder who first spotted its bones in the rocks.

Length
4.5 m
Height
1.1 m
Weight
250 kg
Top speed
40 km/h

Field notes

  • One of the very first dinosaurs — 231 million years old.
  • Discovered by a goat herder whose name it now carries.
  • Its sliding jaw joint let it grip struggling prey like a trap.
Meet the rest of the Herrerasauridae family →