Trinisaura

Tree-ne-sore-rah.
Published on

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

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Trinisaura.

Phonetic

Tree-ne-sore-rah.

Named By

Rodolfo A.‭ ‬Coria,‭ ‬Juan J.‭ ‬Moly,‭ ‬Marcelo Reguero,‭ ‬Sergio Santillana‭ & ‬Sergio Marenssi‭ ‬-‭ ‬2013.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Ornithischia,‭ ‬Ornithopoda.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

T.‭ ‬santamartaensis‭

Size

About‭ ‬1.5‭ ‬meters long,‭ ‬but possibly larger when fully grown.

Known locations

Antarctica,‭ ‬James Ross Island‭ ‬-‭ ‬Snow Hill Formation.

Time Period

Campanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial post cranial skeleton,‭ ‬believed to have been from a sub adult.

In Depth

       Trinisaura was a fairly small ornithopod dinosaur that lived in Antarctica back before it became covered by snow and ice.‭ ‬Not that much can be inferred about the lifestyle of Trinisaura due to lack of more complete remains,‭ ‬but as a small ornithopod it probably roamed around‭ ‬on just its rear legs as it browsed upon vegetation,‭ ‬while relying upon speed and agility to escape predators.‭ ‬Trinisaura probably shared its habitat with the armoured nodosaur Antarctopelta which is also known from the same approximate time and area.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A new ornithopod‭ (‬Dinosauria‭; ‬Ornithischia‭) ‬from Antarctica,‭ ‬Rodolfo A.‭ ‬Coria,‭ ‬Juan J.‭ ‬Moly,‭ ‬Marcelo Reguero,‭ ‬Sergio Santillana‭ & ‬Sergio Marenssi‭ ‬-‭ ‬2013.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT