The Armored Dinosaur of Antarctica
Antarctopelta is a genus of armored dinosaur, specifically an ankylosaurid, that lived during the Late Cretaceous period around 70-66 million years ago.
| Meaning | Antarctic shield [Antarcto-pelta] |
| Pronunciation | an-TARK-toh-PEL-tah |
| When: | Late Cretaceous (about 76–70 million years ago) |
| Where: | Antarctica (James Ross Island) |
| What: | Ankylosaur (armored herbivorous dinosaur) |
| Weight: | Estimated around 1–2 metric tons |
| Length: | Approximately 4 meters (13 feet) |
| Diet: | Herbivorous (ate low-lying vegetation) |
| Discovered: | First described by Jaime E. Powell, Rodolfo A. Coria, and Leonardo Salgado in 2006 |
Fossils of Antarctopelta have been found in Antarctica, making it one of the few dinosaur species known from this continent.
It was a quadrupedal herbivore characterized by its heavily armored body, covered in bony plates called osteoderms, and a tail club for defense.
Antarctopelta represents an important discovery for understanding the distribution and evolution of dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period, particularly in polar regions.