Vulcanodontidae

The Early Jurassic sauropod dinosaurs Zizhongosaurus, Barapasaurus, Tazoudasaurus, and Vulcanodon may form a natural group of basal sauropods called the Vulcanodontidae. Basal vulcanodonts include some of the earliest known examples of sauropods. The family-level name Vulcanodontidae was erected by M.R. Cooper in 1984.^[1] In 1995 Hunt et al. published the opinion that the family is synonymous with the Barapasauridae.^[2] One of the key morphological features specific to the family is an unusually narrow sacrum.

Vulcanodontidae Temporal range: Early Jurassic, Sinemurian-Toarcian 199–175 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Models of Vulcanodon in Poland
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	†Sauropodomorpha
Clade:	†Sauropoda
Clade:	†Gravisauria
Family:	†Vulcanodontidae Cooper, 1984
Genera
Tazoudasaurus Vulcanodon Zizhongosaurus?
Synonyms
†Barapasauridae Hunt et al., 1995