Austrosaurus
Austrosaurus was a huge, long-necked plant-eater that lived in Australia during the Early Cretaceous. It was one of the first big sauropod dinosaurs ever found on that continent.12
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at the hips and shoulder, giving a nearly level back
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Fun facts
Austrosaurus was the first Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur ever named from Australia.2
Its bones were found in a marine rock layer, and scientists think the dinosaur's body may have been washed out to sea and scavenged by the pliosaur Kronosaurus.1
The type locality was lost for decades until it was rediscovered in 2014, leading to new excavations that found more bones from the same individual.2
Austrosaurus had a very light, air-filled backbone with many small internal chambers, a feature typical of advanced titanosauriform sauropods.1
During the Early Cretaceous, the area where Austrosaurus lived was much closer to the South Pole, with cool winters that may have dropped to around 0 to 5 °C.1
Other dinosaurs that lived alongside Austrosaurus include the armored Kunbarrasaurus and the ornithopod Muttaburrasaurus.1
Most asked questions about Austrosaurus
?How big was Austrosaurus?
About 20 metres long and weighed around 16 metric tons. It stood about 3.9 metres at the hip and 4.1 metres at the shoulder.1
?What did Austrosaurus eat?
Austrosaurus was a plant-eater, like all sauropod dinosaurs. It ate ferns, cycads and other prehistoric plants.1
?When did Austrosaurus live?
Austrosaurus lived during the Early Cretaceous, about 112 to 100 million years ago.1
?Was Austrosaurus a dinosaur?
Yes, Austrosaurus was a sauropod dinosaur, a long-necked plant-eater from Australia.1
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Myth buster
Myth: Some people think Austrosaurus lived in water to support its heavy body.
Truth: Scientists now believe Austrosaurus, like all sauropods, lived on dry land.1
For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Austrosaurus
- Named by
- Longman 19333
- Group
- Long-necks
- Family / clade
- Somphospondyli3
- Classification
- Sauropodomorpha > Sauropoda > Macronaria3
- Age of the rocks
- 106 to 100 million years (Albian)3
- Rock formations
- Allaru Mudstone3
- Countries
- Australia3
- Fossil records
- 1 in the Paleobiology Database3
- Discovery
- Austrosaurus was discovered in 1932 by Mr. H.B. Wade on Clutha Station in Queensland. The fossils were sent to the Queensland Museum, and Heber Longman named the dinosaur in 1933.1
- Still debated
- Scientists still debate whether Austrosaurus is a valid genus or a nomen dubium, because its fossils are so fragmentary.12
Where the facts come from
- Austrosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
- Reappraisal of Austrosaurus mckillopi Longman, 1933 from the Allaru Mudstone of Queensland, Australia’s first named Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur: Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology: Vol 41 , No 4 - Get Access (tandfonline.com)
- Austrosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
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