Osteology ofEoraptor lunensis(Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha)

A detailed osteological analysis of the basal sauropodomorph dinosaur Eoraptor lunensis, based on nearly complete skeletal remains from Argentina's Ischigualasto Formation, reveals distinctive anatomical features that differentiate it from contemporaneous theropods like Eodromaeus murphi. Key findings include a lightly built skull with enlarged external naris and unique antorbital fossa morphology, robust long bones in the hind limbs, and a twisted first phalanx of the pollex in the manus—a trait shared with other basal sauropodomorphs but absent in theropods. The study also highlights rudimentary palatal teeth on the pterygoid and vertically oriented marginal denticles, providing new insights into early dinosaur evolutionary diversification within the UNESCO-listed Ischigualasto/Talampaya Natural Parks.

Sereno, P. C., Martínez, R. N., & Alcober, O. A. (2012). Osteology ofEoraptor lunensis(Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 32(sup1), 83–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2013.820113