Page 80 - DINOSOUR ATLAS

islands of antarctica
d ammonitE
Ammonite fossils have been found on Vega Island.
These swimming mollusks, related to today’s squid
and octopuses, were one of the most common
animals in Jurassic and Cretaceous seas. There were
many different species, and all were preyed on by
icthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and other marine reptiles.

sieving scree
to collect fossil
fragments

tightly coiled shell
had a ribbed surface
, Polar
EXcavation
Paleontologists who work on
Antarctica and its islands face many difficulties.
Their fieldwork season is limited to a short time during
the continent’s brief summer, and the fossils they collect
are found scattered, broken, and worn among
shape oF the teeth the gravels of ancient stream beds.
helps paleontologists
to recognize a theropod

did you know?

. Ammonites varied in size. Some grew no
bigger than a human fingernail, while
others reached 6½ ft (2 m) in diameter.

. In European folklore, ammonites were
called “snakestones,” as it was believed
they gave protection against snake bites.

small toe
or dewclaw at
the back of the foot

hYPsiloPhodont
(unnamEd) .
Parts of a hypsilophodont u thEroPod (unnamEd)
backbone, skull, and legs Five Fingers In 2003, a trail of gastroliths (stomach stones) were found scattered
were found on Vega Island. tipped with on James Ross Island. They led paleontologists to the remains of the
The animal appears to have sharp claws meat-eating dinosaur they came from. The team collected much of
been one of the larger its lower legs, parts of its backbone, skull fragments, and bits of teeth.
members of this group. They belong to a new carnivore, which was 6–8 ft (1.8–2.4 m) tall.

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