Qantassaurus

Qantassaurus

Qantassaurus is one of the more recently discovered Dinosaurs-- it was first unearthed back in 1996. The genus is named after QANTAS, the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service, which has funded digs and transported fossils for several projects. It should come as no shock then to discover that these DInosaurs were found in Australia.

Qantassaurus was smaller in size-- only about 3ft tall and 6ft long. Scientists have had to estimate these measurements as this particular Dinosaur is only known from jaw fragments. They have been able to come up with those numbers based on the size ratios of other family members. Qantassaurus also had a very blunt face and large eyes.

Interestingly, 115 million years ago when Qantassaurus lived, Australia was even further south than it is now. Conditions were colder, which is why these guys were so small. Larger Dinosaurs would not have been able to live in such climates, as there would not have been enough vegetation.

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Status : Extinct for 115 million years
Location : Australia
Size : Height up to 3ft (.9m), Length up to 6ft (1.8m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Superorder : Dinosauria
Order : Ornithischia -- Family : Hypsilophodontidae -- Genus: Qantassaurus

Image : debivort