A probable ankylosaurian (Dinosauria, Thyreophora) from the Early Cretaceous of New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

Bell, P.R., Burns, M.E. & Smith, E.T. October 2017. A probable ankylosaurian (Dinosauria, Thyreophora) from the Early Cretaceous of New South Wales, Australia. Alcheringa 42, 120–124. ISSN 0311-5518.

We describe an isolated osteoderm from the Albian Griman Creek Formation where it is exposed near the town of Lightning Ridge in central-northern New South Wales, Australia. Several lines of evidence allow referral of this element to the Ankylosauria—a group that epitomises body armour and ubiquitous osteodermal coverage among dinosaurs. Despite the abundant record of fossil vertebrates from this interval, ankylosaurians have not been previously reported, although, they have been described from penecontemporaneous deposits in western Queensland and Victoria. This discovery, therefore, provides an important link between the northerly faunas (including the Griman Creek Formation) that flourished at the edge of the epeiric Eromanga Sea, with those from the sub-polar rift-valley system of Victoria during the mid-Cretaceous.

Phil R. Bell [[email protected]], School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale 2351, NSW, Australia; Michael E. Burns [[email protected]], Department of Biology, Jacksonville State University, 700 Pelham Rd N., Jacksonville, AL 36265-2138, USA; Elizabeth T. Smith [[email protected]], Australian Opal Centre, Lightning Ridge 2834, NSW, Australia.

Key words:

• Cretaceous
• Ornithischia
• Ankylosauria
• Griman Creek Formation
• opal

Acknowledgements

LRF 3144 was discovered and kindly donated by Ali Calvey and Sherri Donaldson. Thanks also to all the 2016 Lightning Ridge Fossil Dig participants and Jenni Brammall, Bob Smith, Clytie Smith, Cybele Sousa de Lemos, David Valenti and everyone at the Australian Opal Centre for their support. Fieldwork was supported by Australian Geographic. Editorial comments from Benjamin Kear and careful reviews by Steven Salisbury and Stephen Poropat greatly improved the final version.