Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis was a 3 to 6-metre-long predatory dinosaur that stalked northwestern Argentina during the Late Triassic period, 230 million years ago.
Herrerasaurus was one of the earliest saurischian dinosaurs. Most experts agree it was still too primitive to be classified as a theropod because it lacked certain advanced theropod features such as a long ‘S’ shaped neck and an elongated middle finger, which gave theropods a greater grasping ability.
Facts
| Period | Triassic |
| Age | 230 million years old |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Height | 1.1 metres at the hips |
| Length | between 3 – 6 metres |
| Weight | between 210 – 250 kilograms |
| Discovered at | Valle de la Luna, San Juan, Argentina (1963) |
| Discovered by | Osvaldo Alfredo Reig |