Austrosaurus
From Latin auster meaning 'south' and Greek sauros meaning 'lizard'. Full meaning: 'southern lizard', referring to its Australian origin.
Early Cretaceous stages
Austrosaurus was an extinct genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Allaru Formation, dated to the early Cretaceous (112-100 million years ago), of Central-Western Queensland in Australia. Several specimens are known.
Diagnosis
- Dorsal vertebrae markedly opisthocoelous with centra having thin cortical walls much enlarged at enarthrodial articulations
- Intramural region of centra forms a complex of small irregular cavities separated by thin bony laminae, not expanded from pleurocoel recesses
- Pleurocoel divided into a large external horizontal oval recess and a smaller internal oval fenestra extending deeper into the centrum
- Deep recess in neural arch between the infraprezygapophysial lamina and the infradiapophysial buttress, attaining depth of at least 60 mm
- Elongated isosceles triangle of matrix enclosed within thin bone plates immediately above neural canal, visible in transverse section
Species
Austrosaurus mckillopi Longman, 1933
Type species
Named for H. Mackillop, the station manager of Clutha Station who was alerted to the fossil discovery and helped bring it to scientific attention.
- Holotype
- QM F2316 , Queensland Museum, Centre for Biodiversity
- Material
- Three blocks of incomplete paired dorsal vertebrae (Specimens A, B, C), cemented at enarthrodial articulations of centra.
- Horizon
- Allaru Mudstone Formation, Albian, Early Cretaceous , 113.2–100.5 million years ago
- Locality
- southwest corner of Whitewood Paddock, Clutha Station, Queensland, Australia
References
- Longman, H. A. (1933). A new dinosaur from the Queensland Cretaceous. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 10(3): 131-144. longman1933a