Pisanosaurus

- Pronunciation: pye-SAN-uh-SAWR-us
- Translation: Pisano's Lizard
- Order: Ornithischia
- Height: 24 inches (0.6 meters)
- Weight: 8 pounds (3.6 kg)
- Length: 36 inches (0.9 meters)
- Period: Late Triassic
- Description: Herbivore, Bipedal
- Notes: Pisanosaurus is considered to be the earliest ornithischiandinosaur. It lived during the Late Triassic period, millions of yearsbefore any other bird-hipped dinosaur appeared. Its presence inthe same formation in Argentina as the primitive theropods Herrerasaurus and Eoraptor imply that, if dinosaurs share a common ancestor, the common ancestor occurred earlier thanthese specimens, which are the earliest known dinosaurs. Small,with long, slender feet, Pisanosaurus probably was a good runner.Scientists think that it belongs to the heterodontosaur family. If it is a heterodontosaurid, a group also found in Africa, its existenceis further evidence that these continents were still joined togetherduring the Late Triassic Period.