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The Big Dinosaur Podcast

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I Know Dino Podcast Show Notes: Lesothosaurus (Episode 133)

Episode 133 is all about Lesothosaurus, a primitive dinosaur that lived in the Jurassic in what is now Lesotho.

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In this episode, we discuss:

News:

  • A New troodontid Dinosaur Liaoningvenator currie from China was found curled up almost like an embryo
  • A Camarasaurus found in Montana is the farthest north and oldest (30 years at death) found to date
  • New research sheds light on the mysterious Jurassic Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry from Central Utah
  • The debate of whether T. rex had scales or feathers continues with featherless skin impressions published in Biology Letters
  • A study of how Australian birds that bury their eggs may help us learn more about how & where titanosaurs buried their eggs
  • The Missouri Institute of Natural Science got a “truckload of fossils” in from Wyoming including many hadrosaurs
  • Mark Witton explains how paleoartists use bone textures to predict skin composition, thickness, and ornamentation
  • Dinosaurs in the Wild Experience begins in Birmingham on June 24 and they put a Dakotaraptor in a mall to advertise
  • Laurel Dinosaur Park in Maryland is open to public volunteers to help excavate fossils on the first and third Sundays
  • The Australian film, My Pet Dinosaur has begun getting reviews and so far it’s exceeding expectations
  • Saurian has sent out copies of the pre-release to kickstarter backers at the $60 level and above
  • Neverwinter is releasing a new expansion “Tomb of Annihilation” which will feature dinosaurs
  • Who would win in a fight, 10,000 chickens or 20 T. rex? Apparently the chickens, at least according to CNET
  • A small child (somehow) gets surrounded by small T. rex toys in a toy store in China and panics
  • A new “Lego Idea” features dinosaur fossils in a museum rather than the typical recreations

The dinosaur of the day: Lesothosaurus

  • Name means “lizard from Lesotho”
  • Ornithischian that lived in the Jurassic in what is now southern Africa (Lesotho)
  • Named by Peter Galton in 1978
  • Only one valid species: Lesothosaurus diagnosticus
  • Named for the country Lesotho, where it was found
  • Originally considered to be an ornithopod, but Paul Sereno suggested it could be the most primitive of known ornithischians
  • Had some primitive anatomy, like a partially closed hole in its pelvis by a medial wall (most dinosaurs did not have this)
  • Lesothosaurus has been sometimes confused with Fabrosaurus (an ornithischian from the same time and place, that was named in 1964). But only a jawbone and three teeth have been described of Fabrosaurus, so it’s hard to know for sure)
  • Richard Butler said in 2005 that Lesothosaurus was a basal member of Neornithischia (includes pachycephalosaurs, ceratopsians, ornithopods)
  • Could also be an early thyreophoran (same group as stegosaurs and ankylosaurs)
  • Richard Butler named a new dinosaur, Stormbergia dangershoeki, in 2005, and some scientists think it was an adult version of Lesothosaurus, which would make them synonyms. (In 2017, Baron, Norman & Barrett studied the differences between the two and found they were mostly because of their growth.)
  • Bipedal
  • About 3-6 ft (1-2 m) long
  • Had a small skull that was short and flat
  • Had large eye sockets and large cavities for the jaw muscles
  • Had a short, flexible neck
  • Had short forelimbs compared to its hindlimbs
  • Had five fingers on each hand (only 4 were well developed)
  • Had long, slender legs, small arms (hands could not really grasp things), and a slender tail
  • Probably was a fast runner
  • Had a beaklike structure
  • Beak was covered in keratinous material
  • Had leaf-shaped teeth behind the beak, and 12 fanglike teeth in front of the upper jaws
  • Could not chew its food, but could slice it with its beak
  • Omnivorous, probably (based on studies of its tooth, which found not enough wear)
  • Probably ate small animals and soft plants
  • May have been similar to a gazelle, browsing low-vegetation and running off when predators approached
  • May have lived in groups
  • In 2015, scientists CT scanned Lesotho skulls, which gave a much more detailed description of the skull and was used to refer more specimens to the genus.
  • These specimens were buried together, which is why scientists think they may have lived in groups
  • May have grown to adult size in 4 years

Fun Fact:

Using the term “chicken sized” to describe a dinosaur is problematic

  • A study in Poultry Science in 2014 bred 3 sets of birds from strains from
  • 1957, 1978, 2005
  • After 56 days
    • 900g, 1,800g, 4,200g (2lb, 4lb, 9.25lb)
      • More than 4x increase in under 50 years
    • The world record chicken “Big Boy” from Pennsylvania weighed over 24lbs (just under 11Kg)
      • Approaching velociraptor weight
      • But nowhere near velociraptor length—about 1.5m (5ft)

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Kulindadromeus: Kulinda River Running Dinosaur

Wind slices through Kulindadromeus’s feathers as he runs, as fast as his two small legs can carry him. Although Kulindadromeus is only five feet long, the little dinosaur is known in his habitat for his speed.

The wind feels good, but after a few minutes Kulindadromeus slows down and stops to take a drink from the river near where he lives. From the edge of the water he has a good view of one of the many volcanoes in the area. They are all active, but Kulindadromeus has adapted to life near the volcanoes and knows how to get away when necessary.

He takes a few steps into the water and splashes around. His feathers on his arms and legs get weighed down by the water, but Kulindadromeus doesn’t care. The day is warm and the extra insulation is a burden, at least for now. When night falls, the down feathers will be more welcome.

After his thirst is quenched and Kulindadromeus has cooled down, he leaves the water and searches for food. Vegetation lies only a few feet away, but he is tough plant matter. Fortunately, Kulindadromeus has sharp ridges in his teeth to help he chew. He bites into his lunch with gusto, loudly chewing with his mouth open.

The vegetation is tough, but the scales on Kulindodromeus’ hands, ankles, and feet help protect the dinosaur and prevent cuts. Kulindadromeus also has scales on his tail, which he uses to help balance while he bites off vegetation.

The bristles on Kulindadromeus’ head and back stiffen, and, sensing another dinosaur, Kulindadromeus takes a break from lunch and turns around.

A female Kulindadromeus awaits him. Though Kulindadromeus is still a juvenile, he is old enough to know how his kind mates. Wanting to impress the female, he uses his short arms to show off his impressive, soft feathers.

The female, who is also young, seems to approve. Slowly she approaches Kulindadromeus, but is interrupted when the nearby volcano erupts. The eruption is sudden, and ash and lava spew out thousands of feet into the air, accompanied by a deafening roar. Ash and dust form a large dark cloud that starts to roll towards the dinosaurs.

Kulindodromeus can see rocks falling. Kulindodromeus quickly looks over to the female, and they give each other a curt nod before taking off. Lava could start flowing at any moment, and it is best to get away as far as possible.

Kulindodromeus flaps its arms, but it cannot fly. Instead, both Kulindodromeus and the female Kulindodromeus run as fast as they can. Behind them the smoke and ash gobbles everything up, covering everything in darkness.

The two run for miles, not stopping to look back. They head up hill when they can. Eventually, they can no longer run, and they collapse. Fortunately the volcano’s eruption is relatively small, and they are out of harm’s way.

After stopping to catch his breath, Kulindadromeus looks over at the female Kulindadromeus. She feels him staring and she looks back at him. He raises his arms, so she can once again see his impressive feathers.

Facts about Kulindadromeus:

  • Kulindadromeus lived about 160 million years ago and lived in Easter Siberia
  • The dinosaur was pretty small, about the size of a turkey
  • Kulindadromeus walked on two legs and had short arms
  • It also had scales on its tail and shins, short bristles on its head and back, and feathers on its arms and legs
  • Kulindadromeus is one of the few herbivores found to have fossil feathers, which makes some scientists believe all dinosaurs could have had feathers, or at least the potential for feathers
  • The area where Kulindadromeus was found had a lot of volcanoes. Fossil feathers are rare, and the reason why they may be preserved in Kulindadromeus is because the dinosaur specimens fell to the bottom of the nearby lake and was covered in ash
  • Kulindadromeus could not fly, but it may have used its feathers for insulation or display

Find out more in the I Know Dino podcast, episode 12, “Kulindadromeus.”

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