Triassic Herbivore Sauropods

Plateosaurus trossingensis

Plateosaurus trossingensis

Pronunciation: [PLAY-tee-oh-SORE-us TROSS-ing-EN-sis] Meaning: “Broad lizard of Trossingen”

One of the first large herbivorous dinosaurs, this bipedal prosauropod browsed tree ferns across Late Triassic Europe before the rise of giant sauropods.

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Mounted fossil skeleton of the Late Triassic prosauropod Plateosaurus trossingensis (specimen GPIT/RE/7288) at the University of Tübingen.
Verified Museum Specimen
GPIT/RE/7288 mounted skeleton • Paläontologische Sammlung der Universität Tübingen, Germany
Photo: FunkMonk (CC BY-SA 3.0) (CC BY-SA 3.0) • Specimen Record ↗

Specimen Field Matrix

Empirical morphological and stratigraphical records
Geologic Period Triassic
Temporal Range Late Triassic, 214–204 Ma
Dietary Guild Herbivore
Taxonomic Clade Sauropods
Total Length 8 m (26.2 ft)
Standing Height 3 m (9.8 ft)
Body Mass Estimate 4,000 kg (4 t / 8,818 lbs)
Locomotion Bipedal
Fossil Localities Germany, Switzerland, France
Stratigraphic Formations Löwenstein & Trossingen Formations
Field Dispatch & Natural History

Paleontological Overview

One of the first large herbivorous dinosaurs, this bipedal prosauropod browsed tree ferns across Late Triassic Europe before the rise of giant sauropods.

Plateosaurus trossingensis was described from fossil material recovered in the Löwenstein & Trossingen Formations.

Biomechanical Proportions

Human Scale Comparison

Proportional anatomical comparison between an average adult human (1.8 m / 5.9 ft) and Plateosaurus trossingensis (8 m / 26.2 ft length, 3 m / 9.8 ft standing height).

Ground Level (0.0 m) 1.8 m (5.9 ft) Length: 8 m (26.2 ft) 3 m height
Adult Human: 1.8 m (5.9 ft)
Plateosaurus trossingensis: 8 m (26.2 ft) length • 3 m (9.8 ft) standing height
Paleogeography & Stratigraphy

Where & When It Lived

Geographic Range & Habitat

Europe
Fossil Deposit Localities:
Germany, Switzerland, France
Geological Formations:
Löwenstein & Trossingen Formations

Fossil specimens of this species have been recovered from terrestrial floodplains, ancient river channels, and coastal sandstone facies deposited during continental rifting and tectonic reconfigurations.

Geologic Epoch & Chronology

Triassic Period Late Triassic, 214–204 Ma

Radiometric dating of volcanic ash layers (bentonite horizons) places this taxon between 214 and 204 million years before the present.

Visual Archives

Specimen & Life Restoration Gallery

Verified Museum Specimen GPIT/RE/7288 mounted skeleton
Biomechanical Profile Paläontologische Sammlung der Universität Tübingen, Germany
Scientific Bibliography

Peer-Reviewed References & Institutional Literature

Monographs and peer-reviewed taxonomic papers for this record are compiled from international paleontological journals and museum collections.

Scientific data peer-reviewed and verified on March 25, 2026 • Dinosaurs Facts Paleontological Registry
Mesozoic Kinship

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