#kunbarrasaurus

Dinovember 2024 Day 26: Discoveries Down Under

Links in lieu of propoganda. Kadimakara, a triassic archosauromorph reptile

Kalisuchus, a triassic archosauromorph reptile

Kambara, a cenozoic crocodile

Kimberella, a precambrian bilaterally symmetrical animal

Kolopsis, a cenozoic diprotodontid marsupial

Koolasuchus, a cretaceous temnospondyl amphibian

Kronosaurus, a cretaceous marine reptile

Kunbarrasaurus, a cretaceous armoured dinosaur

#Archovember Day 23 - Kunbarrasaurus ieversi

In the Early Cretaceous of Australia lived the small, basal ankylosaurian Kunbarrasaurus ieversi. Originally thought to be a species of Minmi, Kunbarrasaurus was eventually discovered to be a new genus of ankylosaur and renamed in 2015. One specimen is the most complete dinosaur fossil ever found in Australia, even containing gut contents! This Kunbarrasaurus’ last meal consisted of plant tissue fragments, whole fruits, and whole seeds. The tissue fragments are small and seem to have been nibbled or chopped by the ankylosaur. Unlike some other dinosaurs, it lacked any gastroliths, leading paleontologists to believe it had a more sophisticated method of grinding up its food.

Day 27: Ankylosauria; Kunbarrasaurus ieversi.

By Ashley Patch on @apatchsketches!

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Name: Kunbarrasaurus ieversi

Name Meaning: Shield Reptile

First Described: 2015

Described By: Leahey et al. 

Classification: Dinosauria, Ornithischia, Genasauria, Thyreophora, Eurypoda, Ankylosauria

Kunbarrasaurus is a basal Ankylosaur from Allaru Mudstone of Australia, living in the late Albian to early Cenomanian ages of the Early to Late Cretaceous, about 199 to 113 million years ago. It is known from multiple specimens, including one in which gut contents were preserved. These contents show evidence of eating vascular plants, fruit, seeds, and fern parts, which were nibbled into small bits, though the fruits and seeds were swallowed whole. It had small osteoderms on the body in parallel rows, larger scutes on its snout, and keels on the neck, as well as spikes on the hips and ridged and keeled scutes and triangular plates on the tail. Like other Ankylosaurs, it was quadrupedal. 

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunbarrasaurus