Research indicates that armored dinosaurs with clubbed tails once traversed what is now northeastern British Columbia, leaving behind three-toed footprints during a period when the Rocky Mountains were still forming. This discovery, recently published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, analyzed fossilized tracks estimated to be around 100 million years old, found in the Tumbler Ridge area, northeast of Prince George, and northwestern Alberta.
The study concluded that these footprints belonged to a species of ankylosaurid ankylosaurs, a type of armored dinosaur characterized by a clubbed tail and three-toed hind feet. This represents the first identification of this specific type of ankylosaur footprint. The species has been named Ruopodosaurus clava, meaning “the tumbled-down lizard with a club or mace,” according to a Royal BC Museum statement.
This discovery does not imply that northern British Columbia and Alberta were the exclusive habitats for these dinosaurs. Instead, the findings could guide future analyses of similar fossilized tracks found elsewhere globally. The study highlights how discoveries in one location can provide insights leading to similar identifications in other regions.
Ankylosaurid ankylosaurs are noted for their short stature, wide bodies, bony plates, and spikes. They differ from the nodosaurid ankylosaurs, which had a flexible tail and four hind toes, with their footprints referred to as tetrapodosaurus, meaning “four-toed lizard.” While these four-toed footprints have been well-documented in British Columbia, the discovery of the three-toed tracks points to the presence of a previously unidentified type of dinosaur.
Some of these footprints were discovered by local residents during recreational activities, leading to collaboration with experts such as Charles Helm, scientific adviser at the Tumbler Ridge Museum. By comparing these tracks to skeletons of similar ankylosaurs, researchers were able to draw conclusions about the tracks’ origins.
The footprints, measuring approximately 30 centimeters in length, suggest the dinosaurs were about five to six meters long. The ankylosaur’s armor likely provided protection against predators, while their clubbed tails may have been used in territorial or mating disputes.
Despite their presence in the region during this period, tail-clubbed ankylosaurs are not well-documented in the North American fossil record. This new research confirms their existence, sparking interest in potentially discovering skeletal remains in the area.
Helm notes that ankylosaurs have been synonymous with Tumbler Ridge since two boys discovered an ankylosaur trackway near the community 25 years ago. He expresses excitement over the identification of Ruopodosaurus in this part of Canada, emphasizing the unique biodiversity of the region during that era.
At the time these dinosaurs roamed, the Tumbler Ridge area featured vast coastal floodplains with the emerging Rocky Mountains to the west and a large inland seaway to the east. This environment also supported other dinosaurs, including small- and medium-sized carnivores and relatives of duck-billed dinosaurs, as well as large crocodiles, contributing to the diverse ecosystem of the period.
