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Description

New drawing. One of those dinosaurs that I hardly ever drew, despite their fame. Famous sauropodomorph Plateosaurus engelhardti from the late Triassic of Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Greenland. Since the description of the animal by Hermann von Meyer in 1837 more than 100 specimens were found, including almost complete and articulated. Fossils are so numerous that in one of the areas where they are often found - Swabia - dinosaur was nicknamed "Swabian dragon". This fossil material has helped to learn a lot.

In its structure plan this was a typical for early sauropodomorph. The body is relatively gracile, and the legs allow it to run, although not too fast. Plateosaurus was bipedal: work on the mechanics of his hands showed the impossibility of pronation. Instead of this hands helped in collecting food, and a large thumb claw together with the powerful muscles suggests also a protective function. The long neck held a small head with leaf-shaped teeth. Here I showed lizard-like "lips", but some authors, such as Gregory Paul, concede the prescence of primitive "cheeks." You can also notice a very massive tail. Interestingly, although Plateosaurus grew rapidly, it shows great plasticity in size. Some specimens are fully grown, reaching "only" 4.8 m, while others are estimated at 10 m.
Taphonomy in the case of finds many skeletons in such places as Halberstadt and Trossingen, usually explained that animals are stuck in quicksand or swamps. Near often found teeth of predators, including theropods which, being not so heavy, did not risk to get bogged down.

EDIT: Newly scanned version.
Technical pencil HB, 2019.

Description

New drawing. One of those dinosaurs that I hardly ever drew, despite their fame. Famous sauropodomorph Plateosaurus engelhardti from the late Triassic of Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Greenland. Since the description of the animal by Hermann von Meyer in 1837 more than 100 specimens were found, including almost complete and articulated. Fossils are so numerous that in one of the areas where they are often found - Swabia - dinosaur was nicknamed "Swabian dragon". This fossil material has helped to learn a lot.

In its structure plan this was a typical for early sauropodomorph. The body is relatively gracile, and the legs allow it to run, although not too fast. Plateosaurus was bipedal: work on the mechanics of his hands showed the impossibility of pronation. Instead of this hands helped in collecting food, and a large thumb claw together with the powerful muscles suggests also a protective function. The long neck held a small head with leaf-shaped teeth. Here I showed lizard-like "lips", but some authors, such as Gregory Paul, concede the prescence of primitive "cheeks." You can also notice a very massive tail. Interestingly, although Plateosaurus grew rapidly, it shows great plasticity in size. Some specimens are fully grown, reaching "only" 4.8 m, while others are estimated at 10 m.
Taphonomy in the case of finds many skeletons in such places as Halberstadt and Trossingen, usually explained that animals are stuck in quicksand or swamps. Near often found teeth of predators, including theropods which, being not so heavy, did not risk to get bogged down.

EDIT: Newly scanned version.
Technical pencil HB, 2019.