Triassic
Saturnalia
Saturnalia tupiniquim
The catalogue presents Saturnalia as a herbivore member of Saturnaliidae that lived during the Triassic, between 233.0–225.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 1.5–1.8 m in length and 5–8 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Santa Maria Formation, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Saturnalia, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Langer et al. (1999).
The PBDB places it in Saturnaliidae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Saturnaliidae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Saturnaliidae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Carnian.
The PBDB catalogues 2 occurrences, with material from the Santa Maria Formation (2). Provenance: Brazil.
The catalogue records the holotype as MCP 3844-PV and the type locality as “Santa Maria Formation, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil”.
- MCP 3844-PV
- Santa Maria Formation, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
The catalogue's reference measurements are 1.5–1.8 m in length and 5–8 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 1.5-1.8 m
- 5-8 kg
The record gathers 26 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 1.5–1.8 m
- Weight
- 5–8 kg
- Period
- Triassic
- Time range
- 233.0–225.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1999
- Described by
- Max Langer
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Saturnaliidae
- Genus
- Saturnalia
- Species
- S. tupiniquim
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- MCP 3844-PV
- Type locality
- Santa Maria Formation, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil