Qantassaurus Characteristics

Qantassaurus measured 6 feet (2 metres) in length, 3 feet (1 metre) in height. This dinosaur was the size of a small kangaroo and had large eyes to help it see in the cold, dark polar night that lasted up to 3 months.

Unlike other dinosaurs, Qantassaurus had a unique jaw structure being short and rounded whereas other dinosaurs had long, slender jaws. Qantassaurus had only 12 teeth located in its lower jaw while most hypsilophodontids had at least 14 teeth, this probably was the reason for the shape of its face. The cheek teeth were leaf-shaped which were self-replacing as they worn down.

Qantassaurus was bipedal and its legs had short thighs and longer shins and was therefore a fast runner. Its feet had 4 clawed toes for traction and together with its long tail, would have been able to change direction quickly to evade predators. Qantassaurus had short arms equipped with 5 fingers.

Qantassaurus was a herbivore and probably a browser and ate prehistoric plants such as ferns to sustain itself. They were active all year round which indicates that they did not hibernate through the winter. Qantassaurus would have survived in harsh, cold conditions. It may have had some kind of defensive camouflage, like spots.

Since 1978, many isolated or broken bones and teeth of hypsilophodontids have been found in the channel and floodplain sediments in the Otway and Strzelecki ranges on the south coast of Victoria.

Qantassaurus is known from a skeleton and a partial skull that dates from about 110 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period.

Qantassaurus was named by Patricia Vickers-Rich in 1997. The type species is Qantassaurus intrepidus.