Qantassaurus

Kwan-tass-sore-us.
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Cassidy Wood

Paleoentomologist

Cassidy Wood uncovers the tiny yet significant world of prehistoric insects. Her research on amber-preserved specimens has revealed intricate details about ancient ecosystems.

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Name

Qantassaurus ‭(‬Qantas lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Kwan-tass-sore-us.

Named By

T.‭ ‬H.‭ ‬Rich‭ & ‬P.‭ ‬Vickers-Rich‭ ‬-‭ ‬1999.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Ornithischia,‭ ‬Ornithopoda,‭ ‬Hypsilophodontidae‭?

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

Q.‭ ‬intrepidus‭

Size

By comparison to similar genera,‭ ‬roughly estimated about‭ ‬1.8‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Australia,‭ ‬Victoria‭ ‬-‭ ‬Wonthaggi Formation.

Time Period

Aptian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Jaw fragments.

In Depth

       Like so many other Australian dinosaurs Qantassaurus is known only from frustratingly incomplete remains.‭ ‬At the time of writing the only parts of this dinosaur that are known are partial jaws,‭ ‬but they are still distinct enough to recognise as a new type of dinosaur.‭ ‬Qantassaurus has been classified as a hypsilophodontid dinosaur,‭ ‬which meant that it would have been a small fast running bipedal plant eater that would have browsed upon low growing vegetation.‭ ‬However while‭ ‬certainly similar to hypsilophodontid dinosaurs,‭ ‬there is now speculation that Qantassaurus and similar dinosaurs from Australia and Antarctica may actually need their own distinctive group.

       Qantassaurus was named after the Qantas airline in recognition of the work and funding supplied by this company to support museum displays and conduct paleontological digs.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬The Hypsilophodontidae from southeastern Australia.‭ ‬Proceedings of the Second Gondwanan Dinosaur Symposium,‭ ‬-‭ ‬National Science Museum Monographs‭ ‬15:167-180.‭ ‬-‭ ‬T.‭ ‬H.‭ ‬Rich‭ & ‬P.‭ ‬Vickers-Rich‭ ‬-‭ ‬1999.

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