Borealopelta was a Nodosaur dinosaur from the Ankylosaur group of armored dinosaurs. One was found in Alberta, Canada that changed the dinosaur science world. More than just the bones were fossilized. It had pretty much all of its dermal armor. The dino mummy had its internal organs as well, including its stomach and the stomach contents.
Its scales were intact and scientists were able to analyze the scales and dermal armor to determine that it was a reddish-brown in color. The underside was a lighter color. This type of coloration is called countershading.
Borealopelta was big, but nothing like a huge Sauropod. It was 18 feet long. That would be 5.5 meters. It weighed around 3000 lbs or 1360 kg. It walked with its head low to the ground and it probably browed on low lying vegetation, like the ferns it is seen eating in this drawing.
The mummy dinosaur of Borealopelta was killed or died in possibly a tsunami. It was found in rock that forms in ocean water. Apparently this dino got washed out to sea and sank. Since it's shell-like dermal armor was so incredibly dense, it sank back first and rested on the seafloor and was buried in sediment fast. So maybe it got washed out to sea at the mouth of a river, after drowning in the river.
Both drawings below are of the same type of animal. The drawings show flowering plants because new research has found that flowering plants WERE around by the start of the Cretaceous Period... which is when Borealopelta lived.
By the way, these drawings can be found by clicking on the "Paleontology" button up top and scrolling down. The first drawing is at the bottom because it is the newest. The other drawing will be further up the correct lists. Also, all drawings are on "All Printables."
Borealopelta the Dinosaur
Borealopelta markmichellii a new Nodosaur
No comments:
Post a Comment