| “ | It's hard to believe that these four-legged beasts are related to Coelophysis, but these are plant-eating dinosaurs. | ” |
Plateosaurus was a large dinosaur from the late Triassic period. This creature was an early ancestor of the Jurassic leviathans - the sauropods.
This animal was a peaceful plant eater that would travel in large herds across continents for food.
Creature attributes
Physical appearance and biology
Plateosaurus - an ancestor of the sauropods - was a large, four-legged dinosaur. It is unknown what exact position it walked in but it may be safe to assume that it was a faculatively bipedal creature. This posture is incredibly different compared to the later sauropods.
The neck of Plateosaurus was short compared to its successors. The reason for this may be that if its neck was any longer, the weight of it would not be supported by the rest of its body. However, despite this minor downfall, it was still able to browse on many different types of vegetation including cycads and low-lying shrubs, using its chisel-shaped teeth.
Plateosaurus was mainly dark green, save for several white stripes along its back and a lighter tint on its underbelly.
Behavior and traits
For the protection of younger individuals, Plateosaurus would travel in large herds. Since these creatures were so large, the adults were nearly indestructible. However, while on their own younger Plateosaurus were prone to be attacked by primitive theropod dinosaurs and rauisuchians.
Due to them being so large, they would also need to feed on lots of vegetation each day. Their ceaseless search for food would often lead them to foreign areas and continents. Once the area is depleted of a sustainable amount of food, the lumbering herbivores would move to new feeding areas.
In Walking with Dinosaurs
New Blood
After a long drought, a small group of Coelophysis gathered at a small waterfall to drink. However, the peace was broken when a large herd of Plateosaurus began to cross the water. The leader of the herd was confronted by a pair of Coelophysis but due to its immense size, the carnivores quickly bolted.
Image gallery
In Walking with Dinosaurs: Inside Their World
Plateosaurus is one of the dinosaurs featured in this app.
Behind the scenes
Plateosaurus couldn't move in a quadrupedal stance. However, this discovery was made after the release of this episode.
It's possible that prosauropods may have had feathers, or at least quills. However, this is only speculation, as no skin impressions from prosauropods were found.
Coelophysis didn't coexist with Plateosaurus, who lived in Europe, not North America. It did live at the same time though. However, a particular dinosaur, now believes to be a synonym of “Plateosaurus”, called “Sellosaurus” was found in both North and South America. If it is true that “Sellosaurus” is “Plateosaurus”, then the “inaccuracy” of “Plateosaurus” and “Coelophysis” is not an inaccuracy after all.
List of appearances
- Walking with Dinosaurs
- Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History
- The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life
- Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular
- Walking with Dinosaurs: Inside Their World