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Austrosaurus

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Austrosaurus
Temporal range:
Early Cretaceous (Albian),[1]
~112–105 Ma
Presacral vertebrae from the holotype
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: †Sauropodomorpha
Clade: †Sauropoda
Clade: †Macronaria
Clade: †Somphospondyli
Genus: †Austrosaurus
Longman, 1933
Type species
Austrosaurus mckillopi
Longman, 1933

Austrosaurus (/ˌɔːstroʊˈsɔːrəs/; lit. 'Southern lizard') was an extinct genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Allaru Formation, from the early Cretaceous (112-105 million years ago) of Central-Western Queensland in Australia.

Discovery and species

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Dorsal vertebra from the holotype

The holotype, QM F2361 (consisting of three blocks containing primitive and badly weathered vertebrae and rib fragments, with a further 5 large blocks and at least 10 smaller ones later assigned to the holotype as well), was discovered by Mr. H.B. Wade on Clutha Station near Maxwelton in north Queensland in 1932, who alerted the station manager H. Mackillop, who showed his brother who sent them to the Queensland Museum. Austrosaurus was described by Heber Longman in 1933.

Paleobiology

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Originally it was thought that sauropods spent time near or in water to relieve weight from their legs.[2] However, this theory is now rejected and it is believed that Austrosaurus like all sauropods lived on dry land. Fossil finds suggest a height of approximately 3.9 metres at the hip and 4.1 metres at the shoulder, which would have given it an almost level back. Gregory S. Paul estimated its body size at 20 metres (66 ft) in length and 16 metric tons (18 short tons) in body mass.[3]

Classification

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Life restoration

Initially, Austrosaurus was considered a cetiosaurid, like Patagosaurus or Shunosaurus. Hocknull et al. (2009) described the new sauropod Wintonotitan from material that originally assigned to Austrosaurus by Coombs and Molnar in 1981.[4][5] Hocknull suggested that Austrosaurus mckillopi differed only slightly from the QMF 7292, the holotype of Wintonotitan wattsii, and should be considered a nomen dubium. Poropat et al. (2017) reported additional sauropod material from the Austrosaurus type locality and assigned them to the Austrosaurus holotype, finding the genus to be a valid titanosauriform tentatively assignable to Somphospondyli.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Poropat, S.F.; Nair, J.P.; Syme, C.E.; Mannion, P.D.; Upchurch, P.; Hocknull, S.A.; Cook, A.G.; Tischler, T.R.; Holland, T. (2017). "Reappraisal of Austrosaurus mckillopi Longman, 1933 from the Allaru Mudstone of Queensland, Australia's first named Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur" (PDF). Alcheringa. 41 (4): 543–580. Bibcode:2017Alch...41..543P. doi:10.1080/03115518.2017.1334826. hdl:10044/1/48659. S2CID 134237391.
  2. ^ Martin, Anthony J. (2006). Introduction to the Study of Dinosaurs. Blackwell Publishing. pp. 434–435. ISBN 1-4051-3413-5.
  3. ^ Paul, G.S., 2010, The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Princeton University Press p. 206
  4. ^ Hocknull, SA; White, MA; Tischler, TR, Cook AG, Calleja ND, Sloan T, Elliott DA (2009). New Mid-Cretaceous (Latest Albian) Dinosaurs from Winton, Queensland, Australia. PLOS ONE. 4: 7 e6190.
  5. ^ Coombs, W.P. and Molnar, R.E., 1981, Sauropoda (Reptilia, Saurischia) from the Cretaceous of Queensland: Queensland Museum, Memoirs, v. 20, pp. 351–372

Further reading

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