| Vulcanodon | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Superorder: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | Sauropodomorpha |
| Infraorder: | Sauropoda |
| Family: | Vulcanodontidae |
| Genus: | Vulcanodon Raath, 1972 |
| Species | |
|
|
Vulcanodon (meaning "volcano tooth") was a relatively small early sauropod dinosaur genus from the Early Jurassic of southern Africa. About 6.5 metres (20 ft) long, Vulcanodon was herbivorous and had unusually long bones of the first toe and large claws on the inside toes. The type species, V. karibaensis, was formally described by Michael A. Raath of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in 1972 based on fossils found in Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe). It was originally believed to be a prosauropod because of the knife-shaped teeth found near its fossils, which fit in with the idea that prosauropods were omnivorous. Scientists now know that the teeth belonged to an unidentified theropod that scavenged on the Vulcanodon's carcass. Vulcanodon is now known to be a true sauropod. The first fossils of Vulcanodon were found sandwiched between volcanic flows, giving it its name. Upon the discovery of the related Tazoudasaurus, both animals were unified in the family Vulcanodontidae.