Vulcanodontidae

Vulcanodontids Temporal range: Early Jurassic, Toarcian 183–175 Ma PreЄ Є 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
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	†Sauropodomorpha
Clade:	†Sauropoda
Clade:	†Gravisauria
Family:	†Vulcanodontidae Cooper, 1984
Genera
Ohmdenosaurus? Tazoudasaurus Vulcanodon Zizhongosaurus?
Synonyms
†Barapasauridae

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. In 1995 Hunt et al. published the opinion that the family is synonymous with the Barapasauridae. One of the key morphological features specific to the family is an unusually narrow sacrum.