Recent research reveals fascinating insights into the large-bodied ornithopod dinosaur Muttaburrasaurus langdoni. This unique herbivore thrived in Australia during the mid-Cretaceous period, showcasing features like a toothed beak and a well-developed olfactory brain, suggesting a combination of selective feeding and agile behavior. This discovery indicates that Muttaburrasaurus langdoni lived near expansive inland seas, surviving by consuming salt-tolerant plants and potentially small animals.
Muttaburrasaurus langdoni existed approximately 96 million years ago near the Eromanga Sea in what is now modern-day Australia.
The holotype specimen was discovered in 1963 by Doug Langdon, a local lawn mower, near Muttaburra in central-west Queensland.
This dinosaur is among the most complete ornithopod skeletal fossils from the ancient Gondwana supercontinent and serves as a fossil icon for Queensland.
A recent study led by University of New England paleontologist Matthew Hahn explored different aspects of the Earth, focusing on the skull of a new Muttaburrasaurus langdoni specimen.
“Our findings challenge prior assumptions about this bumpy-nosed species, Queensland’s fossil symbol,” Dr. Hearn stated.
“A noteworthy discovery was that Muttaburrasaurus langdoni had teeth at the tip of its nose, which was unexpected since the species was believed to have a toothless beak, akin to well-known plant-eaters like Iguanodon and the duck-billed hadrosaurids primarily found in Europe and the northern hemisphere.”
“Typically, ornithischian dinosaurs of this size possess toothless, beak-like snouts, as seen in Triceratops,” he added.
“This Australian dinosaur, however, had teeth in its beak, likely making it a selective feeder.”
Equipped with a narrow toothed beak, Muttaburrasaurus langdoni likely targeted specific leaves, seeds, and even invertebrates to enhance its dietary diversity.
This discovery implies that Muttaburrasaurus langdoni evolved from an early branch of ornithopods like Camptosaurus and Iguanodon, all of which initially possessed toothed beaks.
This new evidence refines our understanding of the dinosaur tree of life.
“Using advanced techniques, we were able to extract brain traces from the skull and inner ear,” noted Professor Vera Weisbecker from Flinders University.
“We observed that its inner ear structure was more similar to the bipedal dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex than those adapted for a quadrupedal lifestyle.”
“This suggests that Muttaburrasaurus langdoni might have been a large herbivore capable of walking or running on its hind legs, while using its forearms for support while foraging close to the ground.”
Researchers also discovered that the distinctive “bulb-like” shape of the Muttaburrasaurus langdoni‘s nose consisted of entirely new bones not seen in other dinosaurs.
“The identification of this new bone structure was exciting, revealing two significant, complex air chambers that likely slowed down the airflow when breathing,” Dr. Hahn explained.
“Thus, we suspect that they had an exceptional sense of smell, aiding in locating food, detecting predators, or navigating their environment.”
“This nasal feature aligns with the remarkably large olfactory bulb, the largest known in any dinosaur, which is responsible for processing smell.”
“Utilizing advanced CT scanning, neutron scattering, and synchrotron techniques allowed us to create a detailed 3D digital model of the jaw and teeth,” remarked Dr. Joseph Bevitt, a researcher at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO).
The findings are detailed in a study published in the online journal PeerJ.
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MC Hearn et al. 2026. Cranial anatomy, paleoneurology, paleontology, stratigraphic age of large ornithopods: Muttaburrasaurus langdoni Bartholomai and Molnar, 1981, Middle Cretaceous Australia. PeerJ 14: e20794; doi: 10.7717/peerj.20794
Source: www.sci.news
