Yamatosaurus is a type of dinosaur known as a hadrosaurid, which lived during the Late Cretaceous period around 72 million years ago.
The name “Yamatosaurus” means “Yamato reptile.” This dinosaur was discovered on Awaji Island, Japan. The species related to it is called Yamatosaurus izanagii.
The fossils of Yamatosaurus were found in 2004 by a scientist named Shingo Kishimoto. These fossils included parts of its jaw, teeth, and some bones. They were carefully studied and named in 2021 by a group of scientists.
Yamatosaurus lived in a time that also saw the presence of another dinosaur called Kamuysaurus. This shows that different types of hadrosaurs were living in East Asia during the Late Cretaceous period.
The Yamatosaurus was more advanced than one early type of hadrosaur named Hadrosaurus, but not as advanced as some later types. This suggests that East Asia might have been a special place for early hadrosaurs to survive.
The name “izanagii” in Yamatosaurus izanagii refers to a Japanese deity known for creating islands. The fossils were found on Awaji Island, one of the places this deity created.
In summary, Yamatosaurus is an important dinosaur that helps scientists understand the diversity of dinosaurs that lived in Japan millions of years ago.