Amargasaurus head detail.
Image: Ian Malcolm
Source: Museum Victoria
A 12 metre long cast of an Amargasaurus (Amargasaurus cazaui) is the new permanent feature of Melbourne Museum’s main foyer.
Mr Harold Mitchell, President of the Museums Board of Victoria, attached the final tail bones on the dinosaur in front of staff at a celebratory breakfast on 2 August.
The Amargasaurus, meaning ‘Lizard of La Amarga,’ was a plant-eating dinosaur that lived during the Cretaceous Period, around 100 million years ago. It would have weighed close to 15 tonnes, and was named after the canyon in Patagonia in Argentina where it was discovered.
A member of the Sauropod family (the largest group of dinosaurs that ever lived), the Amargasaurus is noted for its strange appearance, due to the double row of elongated spikes on its neck.
There are a number of ideas as to what these strange looking spikes were used for. They may have had a defensive function, deterring predators from attacking the neck, while another theory suggests that they may have been for display, to aid recognising its own species. Other experts suggest they may have been employed in ritual combat between two males, when competing for territory or a mate.
A photo opportunity for media to witness the unveiling of the Amargasaurus resulted in a significant amount of coverage, with photos of the event featuring in mX, the Herald Sun, The Age and local newspapers.