Laquintasaura Dinosaur is an extinct genus of small ornithopod dinosaur from the Santonian age of the Late Cretaceous period. It lived in what is now the Huincul Formation in northwestern Argentina. It is a significant species because it demonstrates the presence of early ornithopods in the southern hemispheres, and possibly indicates adaptive radiation of herbivorous dinosaurs in South America.
Laquintasaura was discovered in 1995, during an excavation in the Huincul formation. It was found near the southern edge of the formation, which dates to the Santonian age, around 85 million years ago. An isolated humerus was initially discovered, which was used to classify the species as an ornithopod.
Laquintasaura Facts :
| Name: | Laquintasaura Dinosaurs |
| Size: | 2–3 feet |
| Main Facts: | Laquintasaura is an extinct genus of small ornithopod dinosaur from the Santonian age of the Late Cretaceous period. It lived in what is now the Huincul Formation in northwestern Argentina. |
Laquintasaura has provided evidence for the presence of ornithopods very early in the Late Cretaceous in what is now South America. As Laquintasaura lived at near the base of the formation, it indicates that there was a large number of ornithopods in the region shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs. This shows evidence of an adaptive radiation of herbivorous dinosaurs relatively close to the extinction event.
Laquintasaura is an interesting species of small herbivorous dinosaur from the Santonian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Its discovery indicates that there was a proliferation of ornithopods in the southern hemisphere shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs, likely as an adaptation to the changing climate. It is a significant species in our understanding of the adaptive radiation of ancient herbivores close to the extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period.
