Discovery and nomenclature of Ankylosaurus antarctica

The normal model specimen of Ankylosaurus antarctica is the only fossil of this genus found so far, and it is also the first dinosaur fossil found in Antarctica. This normal specimen was discovered by Argentine geologists Eduardo Olivero and Roberto Scasso in 1986+ 10 on James Ross Island near the Antarctic Peninsula. The excavation area is about 6 square meters. However, due to the freezing stratum and harsh climate, it was not completely excavated until 10, but it can be confirmed that they belong to the same person. This specimen contains: three related teeth, a tooth with a lower jaw, some skull fragments, spine, scapula, intestine bone, femur, five metatarsals, two phalanges, and countless bone shells. The bones are not well preserved, and many fossils close to the ground are weathered and broken due to weathering # freeze-thaw weathering.

It took more than 65,438+00 years for these fossils to be completely excavated, and three separate studies were published. Finally, in 2006, Argentine paleontologists Leonardo salgado and Surma Gasparini officially named them Antarctopelta oliveroi. Frost wyrm, named after 1993, was the first Antarctic dinosaur named. But in fact, the Antarctic Ankylosaurus was the first dinosaur unearthed in Antarctica. The name Antarctica comes from ancient Greek, and αντ/ant- means "opposite", and α τ ο/arktos means "bear", which means the constellation Ursa major. And ω∩λω∩/pelte means "shield armor", which is the common root of Ankylosaurus. Olivero was named after the discoverer Eduardo Olivier Rowe, who was not only the author of the first related research, but also dug in Antarctica for more than 10 years.

Early studies showed that the Ankylosaurus fossils found on James Ross Island were young. Recent studies have found that all parts of their vertebrae are completely healed together, and there should be obvious joints between the nerve arch and the vertebral body of the larvae. A preliminary histological study of several vertebrae shows that this bone has grown to a certain extent and should not be new.