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New Dinosaur Species Discovered in Canadian Rockies Fills Fossil Record Gap

Researchers identify Ruopodosaurus clava, a three-toed ankylosaurid, marking the first evidence of tail-clubbed ankylosaurs in mid-Cretaceous North America.

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Calla Scott and Teague Dickson consolidating the Ruopodosaurus holotype before moulding in Aug2024: Royal BC Museum fossil preparator Calla Scott and former University of Victoria MSc student Teague Dickson apply consolidants to the type specimen of Ruopodosaurus before making a silicone mould in August 2024.

Overview

  • The discovery of three-toed ankylosaurid footprints in Tumbler Ridge, BC, and northwestern Alberta led to the naming of a new species, Ruopodosaurus clava.
  • This marks the first confirmed evidence of tail-clubbed ankylosaurid dinosaurs in North America during the mid-Cretaceous period, approximately 100 to 94 million years ago.
  • The footprints, preserved as trace fossils, fill a significant gap in the North American fossil record, where skeletal remains from this period were absent.
  • The research confirms that ankylosaurid and nodosaurid dinosaurs coexisted in the region, offering new insights into dinosaur diversity and evolution.
  • The findings, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, underscore the Peace Region’s importance in paleontology and highlight the value of trace fossils in understanding extinct species.