Gryponyx in 3D - click the hip, the back, the tail, or a leg for a fact (full controls on the Dinosaurs 3D hub).
Gryponyx was an early sauropodomorph - an ancestor of the later long-necked giants - known mainly from a South African postcranial skeleton; turn on the human figure to see how its roughly 5 m body compares.
No color evidence survives in the fossil record, so the skin tone here is an artistic choice. Mass in particular is poorly constrained for this genus; the panel shows the best published estimate.
Gryponyx 3D Viewer
You can drag this Gryponyx model to rotate it, zoom to inspect details, and click a body part for a fact (full controls live on the Dinosaurs 3D hub).
Gryponyx was an Early Jurassic sauropodomorph from South Africa, known from a nearly complete postcranial skeleton (SAM 3357-59) in the Upper Elliot Formation. Broom named G. africanus in 1911. Length is about 5 m. Mass is poorly constrained; one secondary estimate is about 485 kg. Some older work synonymized it with Massospondylus; later analyses argued it is distinctive.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Length | about 5 m |
| Hip height | about 1.6-2.0 m (proportionate estimate for a bipedal sauropodomorph) |
| Weight | poorly constrained; one secondary estimate about 485 kg |
| When it lived | about 201-190 million years ago (Early Jurassic, Hettangian-Sinemurian) |
| Diet | Herbivore (basal sauropodomorph) |
Rendering happens in your browser via WebGL with no install step; no account, nothing is sent off your device. Compare with other early bipeds such as the Iguanodon 3D Viewer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big was Gryponyx?
About 5 m long. Mass is poorly constrained; one secondary estimate is about 485 kg. Turn on the human figure for scale.
Is Gryponyx the same as Massospondylus?
Older papers synonymized them. Later work (Vasconcelos and Yates) argued Gryponyx is distinctive enough to keep as its own genus. This page treats it as Gryponyx and notes the history.
When and where did it live?
Early Jurassic South Africa, about 201-190 million years ago (Upper Elliot Formation). Named by Broom in 1911.
What does the name mean?
Gryponyx means hooked claw. The species name africanus refers to Africa, where the holotype was found.
Is the model scientifically accurate?
Length follows published estimates, but skin color and soft tissue are artistic. This is not a fossil-accurate skeleton.
Do I need to install anything to view it?
No. The model renders in your browser with WebGL - no app, no account, and nothing about your visit is sent to a server. When available, a free-licensed glTF model may swap in after first paint.