A small coelurosaur tentatively allied with tyrannosauroids; its bones show "lines of arrested growth," hinting it may have hibernated during cold months.
Many fossils found here, such as the small ornithopod Leaellynasaura , show large eye sockets, suggesting they were adapted to see in the long, dark polar winters. Major Fossil Discoveries:
Dinosaur Cove is famous for providing evidence that dinosaurs lived in polar conditions. During the Early Cretaceous, this part of Australia was located approximately , well within the Antarctic Circle. Dinosaur Cove
The site is noted for the extreme physical and logistical challenges of its excavation, which required mining-style techniques rather than traditional surface digging. The 700 | Article | Museums Victoria
At the time, the area was part of a great rift valley formed as Australia began to separate from Antarctica. It served as a floodplain with ancient stream beds that now act as repositories for small animal bones. During the Early Cretaceous, this part of Australia
Several varieties of these plant-eaters have been identified.
Discoveries include pterosaurs (flying reptiles), aquatic plesiosaurs, turtles, lungfish, and various bony fish. 3. History of Excavation It served as a floodplain with ancient stream
The fossils are primarily found in the Eumeralla Formation , specifically within the Otway Group sediments. 2. Paleontological Significance