Osmakasaurus

Os-mak-ah-sore-us.
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John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

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Name

Osmakasaurus ‭(‬Osmaka lizard‭ ‬-‭ ‬Osmaka is the Lakota word for‭ ‘‬canyon‭’‬,‭ ‬which in this aspect is a reference to the Buffalo gap in South Dakota).

Phonetic

Os-mak-ah-sore-us.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Ornithischia,‭ ‬Ornithopoda,‭ ‬Iguanodontia‭?

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

O.‭ ‬depressus‭

Size

Precise size uncertain due to lack of remains,‭ ‬but estimated to be in the region of about‭ ‬4-5‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬South Dakota‭ ‬-‭ ‬Lakota Formation,‭ ‬Chilson Member.

Time Period

Late Barremian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Post cranial remains,‭ ‬specifically an ilium and some vertebrae.

In Depth

       Originally named as a species of Camptosaurus‭ ‬1909‭ (‬Gilmore‭)‬,‭ ‬and then later Planicoxa in‭ ‬2008‭ (‬Carpenter‭ & ‬Wilson‭)‬,‭ ‬Osmakasaurus was established as a new genus for partial post cranial remains that establish this genus.‭ ‬The species name‭ ‘‬depressus‭’ ‬has been retained to create the type species,‭ ‬which is standard procedure when naming a new genus from a previously described species.‭ ‬The actual species name O.‭ ‬depressus is a reference to the sunken blade of the ilium of this genus.‭ ‬Unfortunately it is not possible to say much more about this dinosaur,‭ ‬though Osmakasaurus‭ ‬has been considered to be an ignuanodontid,‭ ‬and given its previous association to Camptosaurus and Planicoxa,‭ ‬it’s fair to establish that Osmakasaurus would have been similar to other medium to large iguanodontid genera that are typified by Iguanodon.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬The taxonomy of species assigned to Camptosaurus‭ (‬Dinosauria:‭ ‬Ornithopoda‭). – Zootaxa. 2783: 52–68. -‭ ‬Andrew T.‭ ‬McDonald‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT