| Austrosaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presacral vertebrae from the holotype | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Somphospondyli |
| Genus: | †Austrosaurus Longman, 1933 |
| Type species | |
| Austrosaurus mckillopi Longman, 1933 | |
Austrosaurus (/ˌɔːstroʊˈsɔːrəs/;lit. 'southern lizard') was anextinct genus ofsauropoddinosaur from theAllaru Formation, dated to the earlyCretaceous (112-100 million years ago), of Central-WesternQueensland inAustralia.
Theholotype, QM F2361 (consisting of three blocks containing primitive and badly weathered vertebrae and rib fragments, with a further 5 large blocks and at least 10 smaller ones later assigned to the holotype as well), was discovered by Mr. H.B. Wade on Clutha Station nearMaxwelton in north Queensland in 1932, who alerted the station manager H. Mackillop, who showed his brother who sent them to the Queensland Museum.Austrosaurus was described byHeber Longman in 1933.
Originally it was thought that sauropods spent time near or in water to relieve weight from their legs.[2] However, this theory is now rejected and it is believed thatAustrosaurus like all sauropods lived on dry land. Fossil finds suggest a height of approximately 3.9 metres at the hip and 4.1 metres at the shoulder, which would have given it an almost level back.Gregory S. Paul estimated its body size at 20 metres (66 ft) in length and 16 metric tons (18 short tons) in body mass.[3]
Initially,Austrosaurus was considered acetiosaurid, likePatagosaurus orShunosaurus. Hocknullet al. (2009) described the new sauropodWintonotitan from material that originally assigned toAustrosaurus by Coombs and Molnar in 1981.[4][5] Hocknull suggested thatAustrosaurus mckillopi differed only slightly from the QMF 7292, the holotype ofWintonotitan wattsii, and should be considered anomen dubium. Poropatet al. (2017) reported additional sauropod material from theAustrosaurus type locality and assigned them to theAustrosaurus holotype, finding the genus to be a valid titanosauriform tentatively assignable toSomphospondyli.[1]
