About Muttaburrasaurus
| Scientific Name (Genus) | Muttaburrasaurus |
| Meaning of Name | Lizard from Muttaburra Muttaburra (place name) - saurus (lizard) [Greek] |
| Classification | Ornithischia, Ornithopoda (Iguanodontia) |
| Total Length | Approx. 8m |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous (approx. 112-99.6 million years ago) |
| Species | Muttaburrasaurus langdoni |
| Year of Paper Publication | 1981 |
| Genus Name Publication | Muttaburrasaurus: a new Iguanodontid (Ornithischia:Ornithopoda) dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 20. by Bartholomai, A; Molnar, R.E. 1981. |
Features
The classification of Muttaburrasaurus has been a topic of debate for many years. When it was first discovered, it was thought to be a member of the Iguanodontidae family, but subsequent research has led to various views, including the theory that it belongs to the European Rhabdodontidae family, the theory that it is an early member of a larger group that includes both iguanodontians and hadrosaurids, and the theory that a separate Muttaburrasauridae family should be established for its unique evolution in Australia. What is certain is that it was a very unique dinosaur that evolved differently from the ornithopods of the Northern Hemisphere.
Muttaburrasaurus had a hollow bony bump on its nose.
It is not known whether this was an organ for smelling or for making sounds.
Also, the first digit (thumb) of its hand was pointed, like that of Iguanodon (however, it is not closely related to Iguanodon). It is interesting that the thumb of this independently evolved ornithopod had a similar morphology.
Its teeth and jaws were adapted for shredding tough plants like cycads. However, its teeth did not have the 'grinding' structure of other herbivorous dinosaurs, but rather a 'shearing' action that could also be used to slice meat. Because of this, one of the describers, Dr. Ralph Molnar, has pointed out the interesting possibility that Muttaburrasaurus was primarily herbivorous but may have been an omnivore that also ate carrion when the opportunity arose.
The first fossil was discovered in Queensland, but later, fossils of a smaller and more primitive, undescribed second species (mainly teeth and jaws) were found further south in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales. This shows that Muttaburrasaurus was widespread and prosperous on the Australian continent at the time.
Muttaburrasaurus Stamp & Fossil Gallery
