Google doodle honors the Staurikosaurus, one of the the oldest dinosaurs ever discovered

Are you all set to channel your inner paleontologist? One of the earliest dinosaurs ever found, the Staurikosaurus, is honored in this Doodle!

Alcober OA and Martinez RN released a silhouette reconstruction of the Staurikosaurus skeleton on this day in 2010.

Paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Prince discovered a specimen of a theropod, a carnivorous, bipedal dinosaur, at the Santa Maria Formation in southern Brazil in 1936 while conducting an excavation. The fossil was found approximately 225 million years ago in the late Triassic period, based on radiocarbon dating of the strata surrounding it. The dinosaur, also known as the “Southern Cross Lizard,” got its name from the constellation that is seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

We know very little about the Staurikosaurus because Prince’s finding is the only known example of the species. Based on available information, the Staurikosaurus was a huge dinosaur for its time; it measured around 2 meters in length, 80 cm in height, and 30 kg, or almost the same weight as a large dog. The remains of Staurikosaurus indicate that it was a relatively swift animal considering its size. It ran on two legs and had a long tail. Additionally, the predator featured teeth with serrations that curved toward the rear of its throat to aid in capturing and gripping prey.

Paleontologists now have a better understanding of the early evolution of dinosaurs thanks to the finding of Staurikosaurus. Thus, our excitement for the Staurikosaurus will never die!