What is "chromogisaurus"

Chromogisaurus is a sauropodomorph which existed in Argentina during the late Triassic period.

Chromogisaurus was first named by Martín Daniel Ezcurra in 2010, and the type species is Chromogisaurus novasi. The generic name is derived from Greek chroma, "colour", and gè, "earth", a reference to the Valle Pintado, the "Painted Valley". The specific name honours Fernando Emilio Novas.

The holotype, PVSJ 846, has been found in a layer of the Ischigualasto Formation dating from the Carnian. This makes Chromogisaurus one of the oldest known dinosaurs. The specimen consists of a partial skeleton lacking the skull. It includes elements of the front and hind limbs; the pelvis and two caudal vertebrae.

Chromogisaurus was a herbivore and about two metres long. According to Ezcurra it was optionally quadrupedal.

A cladistic analysis by Ezcurra indicated Chromogisaurus was a member of a clade of basal Sauropodomorpha, the Guaibasauridae, together with Guaibasaurus, the disputed Agnosphitys, Panphagia and Saturnalia. Within Guaibasauridae it forms a smaller clade with its sister taxon Saturnalia, the Saturnaliinae.