Fun Atlascopcosaurus Facts For Kids

Atlascopcosaurus (meaning Atlas Copco lizard) is a genus of iguanodont dinosaurs living in the region of present Australia. This herbivorous basal dinosaur species lived during the Early Cretaceous Period.

Scientists and researchers believe that the small-sized bipedal dinosaurs foraged and stayed out of the way of large, carnivorous predators.

Thomas H. Rich, Ph.D., a paleontologist from the Museum of Victoria, Australia, and Patricia Vickers-Rich from Monash University, Melbourne, together were known to have discovered the Atlas Copco lizard at a fossil-rich area on the southeast coast of Australia, close to Victoria called Dinosaur Cove.

During the first visit of Thomas Rich to Dinosaur Cove in 1980, he along with two other colleagues found fragments of rock-embedded bone. Soon after, students and researchers alike started excavating the area.

Equipment required was provided by the Atlas Copco company which discovered the dinosaur in 1984. William Loads, the state manager for Atlas Copco at the time assisted in the excavation, and therefore, the type species, Atlascopcosaurus loadsi was named after him.

Also, the name Atlascopcosaurus was given after Atlas Copco as they helped in finding the fossil of this new species by providing equipment and manpower. The project helped reveal around 85 fossil bone fragments of various species.

The Atlascopcosaurus species is known for a jaw fragment and few teeth. Even after being assigned to Hypsilophodontidae, the classification was found untenable.

Upon research, it was found that Hypsilophodontidae has been recovered as paraphyletic, while Atlascopcosaurus was tabulated as a basal member of Ornithopoda. They were known to be present in the Early Cretaceous period, around 121-97 million years ago.

It was found that the dinosaurs were around 10 ft (3 m) long and weighed around 275 lb (124.7 kg). The length was estimated by the skeleton found by the Atlas Copco group.

For more relatable content, check out these Fabrosaurus facts and Cedarosaurus fun facts for kids. 

Atlascopcosaurus Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Atlascopcosaurus'?

The pronunciation of the name Atlascopcosaurus is 'Atlasscop-coe-saw-rus'.

What type of dinosaur was an Atlascopcosaurus?

Atlascopcosaurus (meaning Atlas Copco lizard) is a genus of herbivorous dinosaur found in the current region of Australia. The type species Atlascopcosaurus loadsi was then described by Tom Rich (Museum of Victoria) and Patricia Vickers-Rich in 1989.

Atlascopsosaurus was named after the company Atlas Copco who provided equipment in the excavation and the type species loadsi refers to the state manager for Atlas Copco at the time, William Loads, who assisted in the mission.

In which geological period did the Atlascopcosaurus roam the earth?

These dinosaurs was known to be roaming the earth's surface in the Early Cretaceous Period. It was primarily found in Australia as all fossil and remains found of the genus points to that location.

When did the Atlascopcosaurus become extinct?

As the dinosaur was known to have lived during the early Cretaceous period, scientists believe the dinosaurs of the genus became extinct 121-97 million years ago.

Where did an Atlascopcosaurus live?

The dinosaur was believed to live in present-day Australia. The fossil was first found in the region of the Dinosaur Cove East site.

This is in the area at the coast of Victoria, in layers of the Eumeralla Formation. Dr. Thomas H. Rich from the Museum of Victoria and Patricia Vickers-Rich from Monash University led the research and discovered the skeleton in the Dinosaur Cove, on the southeast coast of Australia.

What was an Atlascopcosaurus's habitat?

The Early Cretaceous dinosaur was known to be terrestrial and lived probably in the forest habitat as it fed only on vegetation.

Who did an Atlascopcosaurus live with?

There is no information on the company the dinosaurs kept in the wild. However, going by the size of the dinosaur, it probably stayed in a group to protect itself from predators.

How long did an Atlascopcosaurus live?

The information on how long the Atlascopcosaurus dinosaur lived is not available.

How did they reproduce?

There is no information on the reproduction of the genus Atlascopcosaurus (meaning Atlas Copco lizard).

Atlascopcosaurus Fun Facts

What did an Atlascopcosaurus look like?

The presence of this dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period was first established by the discovery of a fragment of an upper jaw with teeth and several referred jaw-bones. The fossil found is incomplete and not enough to base the description of the discovered dinosaur.

The jaw was compared to other dinosaur types too and with extensive research, it was found that Atlascopcosaurus might have been a member of the Euornithopoda. Without more fossil discovery of the Atlascopcosaurus loadsi, it is not possible to determine more information.

A rough estimate has been derived that the dinosaur was 6.5-10 ft (1.9-3 m) long and weighed around 275 lb (124.7 kg). It was known to be a bipedal species.

How many bones did an Atlascopcosaurus have?

As the whole skeleton was not found, the number of bones could not be determined. In the same region where Atlascopcosaurus was found, 85 fossil bone fragments of various species were also found. So it became harder to determine.

How did they communicate?

The mode of communication is not known. They probably communicated by voice, touch, or chemically.

How big was an Atlascopcosaurus?

The Atlascopcosaurus was determined to be around 10 ft (3 m) long. It was later said that the species had a range of 6.5-10 ft (1.9-3 m) in length.

The dinosaur was around 3 ft (1 m) in height.

How fast could an Atlascopcosaurus move?

The speed of the dinosaur is not known.

How much did an Atlascopcosaurus weigh?

The weight was estimated to be about 250 lb (113.3 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

Different names were not given for males and females of the dinosaur.

What would you call a baby Atlascopcosaurus?

There is no information on the name given to the baby of Atlascopcosaurus.

What did they eat?

It was a herbivorous dinosaur known to feed on vegetation and plants.

How aggressive were they?

They were not known to be aggressive.

Did you know...

The species was described and named by Dr. Thomas H. Rich from the Museum of Victoria and Patricia Vickers-Rich from Monash University in 1989. The dinosaur remains were discovered in 1984 with the help of the equipment provided for the dig by the Atlas Copco company.

This helped get more traction to the project and many other companies helped.

Atlas Copco helped over ten years excavate about sixty meters of a tunnel in a cliff in the seashore. The species name loadsi was given in respect to William Loads, the state manager for Atlas Copco during that period.

Along with the equipment, the company also provided manpower, the prime example being William Loads who assisted during the dig.

The holotype found consisted of a piece of the upper jaw, a partial maxilla with teeth, and other specimens include teeth, one more maxilla, and dentaries. By the fossil material found, it could not be fully determined but it is thought that the dinosaurs were preyed upon by larger predatory dinosaurs like Australovenator found in the same region.

Was Atlascopcosaurus endemic?

The species was known to be found in Australia, so it can be considered that the dinosaur was endemic to the region.

What does Atlascopcosaurus mean?

Atlascopcosaurus was named after the company Atlas Copco that provided the equipment for the excavation in the Dinosaur Cove of Australia. Atlascopcosaurus means Atlas Copco lizard.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable facts, check out these Crichtonsaurus facts, or Austroraptor fun facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Atlascopcosaurus coloring pages.