PERTH: A team of researchers led by University of Queensland experts have revealed details about the Australia’s newest armored dinosaur named Kunbarrasaurus (koon-ba-rah-sore-rus).
While the skeleton of the dinosaur was unearthed back in 1989, experts involved with the new study have suggested that the fossil remains, which represent the most complete dinosaur so far discovered in Australia and the best-preserved ankylosaur fossils in the world, are of a new dinosaur species. The findings of the study are published in open access journal PeerJ.
Researchers who carried out previous studies on the skeleton pegged it as being remains of a dinosaur in the same genus as Australia’s only other named ankylosaur, Minmi. The team involved with the latest study say that their research has reveled that the fossil was different to the Roma Minmi, and distinct enough from all other ankylosaurs to warrant a new name.
UQ School of Biological Sciences PhD student Lucy Leahey said that like crocodiles, these dinosaurs also had bones in their skin and that’s why the are also referred to as ‘armoured’ dinosaurs.
The dinosaur has been named Kunbarrasaurus ieversi which is based on the word Kunbarra – word for ‘shield’ in the Mayi language of the Wunumara people from the Richmond area. The ieversi part of the name is in honor of the person who originally found the fossil, Mr Ian Ievers. The name means ‘Ievers’ shield lizard.
Researchers carried out CT scans of the fossils after which 3D reconstruction of the brain, inner ear and nasal cavities were also created. Analysis of the CT scan revealed that Kunbarrasaurus had a more complicated airway than other dinosaurs, but less so than ankylosaurs from the Northern Hemisphere.
Citing these differences, researchers said that the Kunbarrasaurus specimen should be considered as a new dinosaur.
