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| Name | Aardonyx |
| Meaning | earth claw |
| Species | celestae |
| Pronunciation | ARD-oh-nix |
| Describer | Yates et al., 2010 |
| Synonyms | |
| Class Order | Saurischia |
| Suborder | Sauropodomorpha |
| Infraorder | Prosauropoda |
| MicroOrder | |
| Superfamily | |
| Family | |
| Subfamily | |
| Time Period | Early Jurassic, 195 million years ago |
| Fossil Site | Southern Africa |
| Locomotion | Predominantly Bipedal |
| Size | 20 feet long |
| Diet | Herbivore |
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Aardonyx - Dinosaurs
Aardonyx was a quadruped herbivore dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic
Period about 195 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Based on the
pelvic structure of Aardonyx, it is suggested that the dinosaur’s means
of locomotion were primarily bipedal, but it could also drop to a quadrupedal
position. Aardonyx locomotion was similar to the familiar dinosaur Iguanodon.
Aardonyx discovery helps to fill the gap in our knowledge of souropod evolution,
showing that a bipedal dinosaur was able to acquire the specific features necessary
for a life spend as a quadruped.
Aardonyx is known from bones belonging to two different individuals. These
individuals are thought to be less than 10 years old at the time of their death.
The material consists of cranial elements, vertebrae, ribs, elements of pectoral
and pelvic girdles and bones of the hind and fore limbs.
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