Vulcanodontidae

Vulcanodontidae Temporal range: Early Jurassic, Sinemurian-Toarcian 199–175  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Models of Vulcanodon in Poland
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	† Sauropodomorpha
Clade:	† Sauropoda
Clade:	† Gravisauria
Family:	† Vulcanodontidae Cooper, 1984
Genera
Tazoudasaurus Vulcanodon Zizhongosaurus ?
Synonyms
†Barapasauridae Hunt et al., 1995

The Early Jurassic sauropod dinosaurs Zizhongosaurus , Barapasaurus , Tazoudasaurus , and Vulcanodon may form a natural group of basal sauropods called the Vulcanodontidae. Basal vulcanodonts include some of the earliest known examples of sauropods. The family-level name Vulcanodontidae was erected by M.R. Cooper in 1984. ^[1] In 1995 Hunt et al. published the opinion that the family is synonymous with the Barapasauridae. ^[2] One of the key morphological features specific to the family is an unusually narrow sacrum.

References

1. Cooper, M.R. (1984). "A reassessment of Vulcanodon karibaensis Raath (Dinosauria: Saurischia) and the origin of the Sauropoda". Palaeontologia Africana 25: 203–231.
2. A. P. Hunt, M. G. Lockley, S. G. Lucas and C. A. Meyer (1995). "The global sauropod fossil record". Gaia 10: 261-279.

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