Aardonyx is a type of dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic period around 201 million to 190 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Its name comes from Afrikaans and Greek, meaning “earth claw.”
The main species of Aardonyx is called Aardonyx celestae. It was named after Celeste Yates, a paleontologist who helped prepare the fossils.
Aardonyx is part of a group of dinosaurs called sauropodomorphs. This group includes both some early dinosaurs that walked on two legs and later giants that walked on four legs.
Aardonyx had some special features that suggest it could walk both on two legs like an Iguanodon and on four legs, which is similar to larger dinosaurs like Apatosaurus. This makes Aardonyx an important link in understanding how dinosaurs evolved from being bipedal to quadrupedal.
Paleontologists Adam Yates and his team found Aardonyx and published their discovery in 2009. Another expert, Paul Barrett, noted that this dinosaur helps us learn more about the evolution of sauropods and how they began to adapt to a life spent walking on all fours.
If we take a closer look at Aardonyx, it is known from bones of two young individuals. These bones are from different parts of the body, including the skull, spine, ribs, and limbs. Scientists believe these young dinosaurs were likely under ten years old when they died, based on the growth patterns seen in their bones.
Aardonyx is believed to be closely related to other dinosaurs in the sauropodomorph family, such as Melanorosaurus. They all show features that suggest they walked on four legs as adults.
Regarding its diet, Aardonyx had a V-shaped jaw, which is a sign that it was beginning to adapt to eating a lot of plant material, much like later sauropods did. Unlike others with wider jaws, Aardonyx still had characteristics that suggest it was transitioning from having fleshy cheeks to a jaw shape that allowed for bulk feeding.
When it comes to movement, Aardonyx was mostly bipedal but showed some signs that it was starting to walk on all fours more often. The structure of its limbs indicates it could walk slowly and powerfully.
In terms of growth, studies of Aardonyx’s bones show that it grew quickly but had periods of slower growth, likely due to changes in the seasons.
Overall, Aardonyx is a fascinating dinosaur that helps scientists better understand the evolution of larger, plant-eating dinosaurs.