Chindesaurus is one of the oldest known dinosaurs discovered in the Americas. It was a primitive dinosaur whose basic anatomy would be seen in later, much larger carnivorous species.

There are very few fossils of this animal, but we know that it lived in a world of dense forests and extensive river systems. Scientists can compare closely related species to determine what it may have looked like and how it lived. It was a meat-eater, using its speed to catch small reptiles and large invertebrates.