Yizhousaurus is a type of dinosaur that lived a long time ago during the Early Jurassic period, specifically in a time called the Sinemurian. Its name means “Yizhou lizard,” named after a region in China where it was found.
This dinosaur was discovered in the Lufeng Formation in Yunnan Province, southern China. Yizhousaurus is important because it is one of the most complete early sauropods we know about. A sauropod is a large type of dinosaur that often had long necks and tails, like the famous Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus.
The main fossil of Yizhousaurus, called a holotype, was found in 2002 and includes a nearly complete skeleton. This skeleton has a well-preserved skull, jaw, 31 backbones, and parts of its limbs. The bones reveal a lot about how this dinosaur looked and moved.
Although scientists recognized Yizhousaurus in a study back in 2010, it was not officially named and described until 2018. The specific name of this dinosaur is Yizhousaurus sunae.
Yizhousaurus helps us learn about the early days of sauropods and how they evolved over time.