Buzz
No offense, North Carolina, but the dinosaur we’re discussing today isn’t linked to your picturesque city that shares its name. Nonetheless, this creature is of great importance, as any expert on armored dinosaurs would confirm.
1. Gastonia Possessed a Formidable Tail.
Along each side of this prehistoric creature ran a series of triangular plates with razor-sharp edges. Paleontologist James I. Kirkland, who named the dinosaur, noted that these plates “overlapped when flexed, creating a shearing effect capable of inflicting deep gashes or even severing fingers.”
2. Competing Gastonia May Have Engaged in Head-Butting.
The clues lie in Gastonia’s somewhat flexible braincase, ideal for shock absorption, paired with its notably thick skull. Additionally, unlike most plant-eating reptiles, Gastonia’s forward-facing eyes would have allowed rivals to lock gazes while clashing heads.
3. It Was Unearthed by Artist and Fossil Enthusiast Robert Gaston.
Before gaining fame for producing top-tier fossil replicas, Gaston worked for a rock shop owner in Moab, Utah. During this period, he stumbled upon several bones from a previously unidentified dinosaur. Kirkland later paid tribute to him by naming the species Gastonia burgei.
4. … And Presented to the Scientific World by a Star Trek Author.
Kirkland collaborated on First Frontier: Star Trek (#75) in 1995—three years prior to publishing a groundbreaking paper announcing the discovery of Gastonia. Fans of Dirty Jobs also witnessed Kirkland outshine host Mike Rowe during a 2011 episode.
5. The Fossils of This Dinosaur Are Abundant.
In eastern Utah, paleontologist Kenneth Carpenter once examined a continuous layer of Gastonia bones spanning 75 yards in width.
6. A Massive Predator Roamed Its Habitat.
With a length of 18 feet, Utahraptor likely holds the title of the largest dromaeosaur ever. This carnivorous giant likely preyed on Gastonia 126 million years ago.
7. It Has Challenged the Notion That Armored Dinosaurs Were Solitary Creatures.
Gastonia
Along with its heavily armored relatives, Gastonia belongs to the group known as ankylosaurs. While they’ve long been depicted as lone wanderers, numerous discoveries have revealed groups of the same species buried together. Examples include Utah’s Gastonia burgei, Mongolia’s Talarurus plicatospineus, and Europe’s Struthiosaurus austriacus. This suggests they may have been more social than previously thought.
8. A Protective Bony Plate Covers Its Hip Region.
Ninjatacoshell, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0
Numerous bony plates were fused together to form a wide, protective shield covering Gastonia’s rear.
9. Illustrations of Another Dinosaur Often Borrow Features from Gastonia.
The British ankylosaur Polacanthus has been studied since Reverend William D. Fox discovered it in 1865. However, a complete skull has never been found, even after two World Wars, six moon landings, and 32 prime ministers. As a result, artists often depict it with a head resembling Gastonia, given their close evolutionary relationship.
10. Gastonia Marked a Historic Year in Paleontology.
Gastonia
was one of the 29 dinosaur genera officially named in 1998. This marked a historic achievement, as no previous year had seen so many new names introduced. However, since 2005, this record has been equaled or exceeded every year. Keep exploring, everyone!
