Gastonia (dinosaur)

Taxobox
name = "Gastonia"
fossil_range = Early Cretaceous

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image_width = 225px
image_caption = "Gastonia" skeletons at the North American Museum of Ancient Life.
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Ornithischia
subordo = Thyreophora
infraordo = Ankylosauria
familia = Ankylosauridae
subfamilia = Polacanthinae
genus = "Gastonia"
genus_authority = Kirkland, 1998
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "G. burgei"

"Gastonia" is a genus of polacanthine ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of North America, around 125 million years ago. Closely related to "Polacanthus", it has a sacral shield and large shoulder spikes. It is also the first polacanthine dinosaur to have been mounted for display at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, together with the related "Gargoyleosaurus". This dinosaur was found in the same quarry as "Utahraptor".

Discovery and species

Named by James Kirkland in 1998 from material recovered in Grand County Utah, more complete material exists for "Gastonia" than for any other polacanthine ankylosaur. Unfortunately, a wealth of disarticulated material from a bonebed presents problems as it can be hard to tell how many spikes a particular "Gastonia" actually had. "Gastonia" was named after Robert Gaston.

The type species is "G. burgei".

Popular Culture

* "Gastonia" is featured in an episode of "Paleoworld" where it is presented as the most heavily armored dinosaur.
* "Gastonia" is featured in a chapter of "Raptor Red", Robert T. Bakker's fictional account of the events in the life of a female "Utahraptor". Defense behaviors are described as an "Acrocanthosaurus" attacks a young "Gastonia" (without success). Later on, male "Gastonia" are shown to compete in leks, and losers wallow in shallow pools, sometimes exposing their armor-less bellies. Because of this, one is killed by a "Utahraptor" pack.
* "Gastonia" appeared in an episode of "Jurassic Fight Club", where it fights a "Utahraptor".

References

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