**Anchisaurus: A Small Dinosaur from the Early Jurassic**
Anchisaurus was a small dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic period, about 200 to 195 million years ago. Its fossils were mainly found in a region called the Upper Portland Formation in the Northeastern United States.
**Name and Classification**
The name “Anchisaurus” comes from Greek words meaning “near lizard.” This name was chosen because it replaces earlier names that had already been used for other animals.
Anchisaurus is part of a group called sauropodomorphs, which includes early ancestors of the long-necked dinosaurs we know today, like Brachiosaurus. Initially, Anchisaurus was classified with other dinosaurs known as prosauropods, but it has since been found to be more closely related to true sauropods.
**Discovery**
The first bones of Anchisaurus were discovered in 1818 by a man named Solomon Ellsworth Jr. He thought the bones might belong to a human, but experts later confirmed they were dinosaur bones.
In 1855, a more complete skeleton was found, and over the years, more specimens were discovered. However, many of these fossils were damaged during their discovery, which has made studying Anchisaurus a bit tricky.
**Description**
Anchisaurus was relatively small, measuring about 2 meters long, which is just over 6 feet. It likely weighed around 27 kilograms (60 pounds). However, some of its relatives were larger, with estimates showing they could reach lengths of up to 4 meters (13 feet).
The dinosaur had spoon-shaped teeth that were good for eating plants. It was a herbivore, meaning it mostly ate plants, but some evidence suggests it might have occasionally eaten small animals.
**Lifestyle**
Anchisaurus probably spent most of its time on all four legs but could stand on its hind legs to reach higher plants. Its front legs had a unique structure allowing them to be used for grasping, resembling the function of hands. This combination of features is typical for early dinosaurs, which were still evolving.
**Paleobiology**
Anchisaurus lived in an environment that went through wet and dry seasons. To help digest tough plant materials, it swallowed stones called gastroliths, which worked like gizzard stones to break down food.
Overall, Anchisaurus represents a fascinating step in the evolution of dinosaurs, bridging the gap between smaller, bipedal herbivores and the larger, more specialized dinosaurs that would come later.