Describer

Carpenter, Kirkland, Burge & Bird, 1999

Time

Cretaceous Late, Cenomanian Turonian

Classification

Ornithischia Thyreophora Eurypoda Ankylosauria Nodosauridae

Diet

Herbivore

Fossilsite

Cedar Mountain Formation (Mussentuchit Member), eastern Utah, US

Length

3 meter

Info

Genus - Typespecies

\\\"living fortress.\\\" Animantarx is a small armored medium-sized Pawpawsaurus-like nodosaurid ankylosaur whit rowboat shaped cups of armor. Animantarx is known from a partial skull and right mandible, and a partial skeleton, including vertebrae, ribs, both scapula-coracoids, humerus, femur and left ilium with ischium [Holotype: CEUM 6228R (Prehistoric Museum, College of Eastern Utah)]. Animantarx skull is estimated at 25 cm long and has a high-domed cranium, very small post-orbital \\\"horns,\\\" small quadratojugal \\\"horn,\\\" and an elongated coracoid about 63% the length of the scapula.

It was first discovered by University of Utah radiological technician, Ramal Jones in near where his wife discovered the first specimen of Eolambia. He a detailed survey of the low level radiation levels across the area as he knew the bones there were slightly radioactive. Finding a spot that was slightly radioactive, he said dig here and low and behold the first dinosaur ever discovered solely by technology was found. Animantarx was originally published as a Nomen Nudum by Kirkland, Lucas and Estep in 1998 as Anamantarx.