Eodromaeus

Name: Eodromaeus (Dawn Runner).
Phonetic: E-oh-dro-may-us.
Named By: Ricardo N. Martinez, Oscar A. Alcober, Carina E. Colombi, Brian S. Currie, Isabel P. Monta�ez, Paul R. Renne and Paul C. Sereno - 2011.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda.
Species: E. murphi (type).
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Approximately 1.2 meters long.
Known locations: Argentina, Ischigualasto Formation.
Time period: Carnian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: Two individual specimens, one almost complete and articulated.

       Eodromaeus is a very exciting find as it may well represent one of the earliest theropods. First thought to have been more fossils of Eoraptor, study by Paul Sereno revealed features not present in Eoraptor. With the fossils realised as a new dinosaur, the fossil description was published with the name Eodromaeus, a name referencing its early entry in the fossil record at the 'dawn of the dinosaurs'.
       As a theropod, Eodromaeus was bipedal, with smaller fore limbs terminating in hands. The hands of Eodromaeus display the transition from five digits to three, with the fourth and fifth digits being much smaller than the first three.

Further reading
- A basal dinosaur from the dawn of the dinosaur era in southwestern Pangaea. Science 331(6014):206-210. - R. N. Martinez, P. C. Sereno, O. A. Alcober, C. E. Colombi, P. R. Renne, I. P. Monta�ez & B. S. Currie - 2011.

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