Skull
The snout was probably relatively deep as in plateosaurians, which is indicated by the square shape of the premaxilla, which formed the tip of the snout. The external naris, the opening for the nostril, was located close to the tip of the snout, and the orbit (eye socket) was proportionally large and circular, similar to that of the early dinosaur Eoraptor.[1]
The premaxilla contained four teeth on each side. The interdental plates, triangular bony projections between the teeth, were higher than wide, in contrast to many other early saurischian dinosaurs. Two bony shelfes projected from the inner side of the premaxilla, one above the other. The lower shelfs of the left and right premaxilla contacted each other in the middle, forming the front part of the palate; this palate is penetrated by a large elliptical opening. The upper shelf is less extensive, without contact between the left and right halves. Both the lower shelf and upper shelf are unique features serving to distinguish the genus from related sauropodomorphs.[1]
The nasal bone was plate-like and had four processes (bony extensions), two directed to the front and two to the rear. The two frontwards directed processes together formed the rear half of the opening for the nostril. The lower of these processes was tongue-shaped, rather than triangular as in most related genera, and was wider than the upper process, unlike in plateosaurians. Of the two processes that were directed rearwards, the upper (and inner) one was broad and flat, and would have connected to the frontal bone behind, probably forming a straight suture between both bones. The lower (and outer) of these processes extended onto the lacrimal bone, which formed the front margin of the orbit (opening for the eye). Just in front of this process, on the outer margin of the nasal, was a small hook-like process. When viewed from above, the left and right nasal are penetrated by a single large elliptical opening at the skull midline; such an opening was also present in Melanorosaurus.[1]
The postorbital formed the upper rear corner of the orbit, and had three large processes, extending toward the front, bottom, and rear, respectively. The frontwards process was as long as the downwards facing process, and, when viewed from above, was straight and not curved inwards as typical for sauropodomorphs. A fourth, smaller process was directed upwards and inwards, and would have articulated with the parietal, the rearmost bone of the skull roof; the orientation of this process in unique in dinosaurs. The third process, projecting towards the rear, was not tapering towards its tip, unlike in most other basal sauropodomorphs; instead, its tip was bifurcated.[1]