**Arkansaurus: The Arkansas Dinosaur**
Arkansaurus is an extinct type of dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, specifically in the Aptian to Albian stages. Its name means “Arkansas lizard.” The only known species of this dinosaur is Arkansaurus fridayi.
**Discovery Story**
In August 1972, a man named Joe B. Friday, who owned a service station in Lockesburg, Arkansas, noticed some vultures flying above his land. When he checked it out, he found fossil bones sticking out of a ditch. He picked them up and displayed them at his service station, not realizing they were dinosaur bones.
A geology professor from the University of Arkansas, Doy Zachry Jr., took the bones to Dr. James H. Quinn, a paleontologist. Quinn recognized them as dinosaur fossils and showed them to experts at a scientific meeting. Initially, they thought the bones were related to a dinosaur called Ornithomimus.
In March 1973, Quinn and other scientists went back to the site to find more bones but only discovered a toe bone. They suspected that the fossils had been spread out due to road construction.
The bones were later studied, and four casts were made. These casts were given to different places for display, including the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Museum of Science and Natural History.
**Becoming the State Dinosaur**
In 2017, a bill was introduced to make Arkansaurus the official state dinosaur of Arkansas. This idea was suggested by a high school student named Mason Cypress Oury. The bill passed, and on February 17, 2017, Arkansaurus was declared the state dinosaur of Arkansas. This dinosaur is significant because it is the only dinosaur fossil known to have been found in Arkansas.
**Description**
Arkansaurus is estimated to have been about 4.6 meters long, which is around 15 feet, and it likely weighed about 380.5 kilograms, or roughly 839 pounds. Its fossils suggest that it walked on two legs, making it a bipedal dinosaur. One unique feature of Arkansaurus is the strong curve of its foot claws, unlike most similar dinosaurs that had flat claws.
**Paleobiology and Family**
Arkansaurus belongs to a group of dinosaurs called Ornithomimosauria. It was positioned in this group as a more primitive type, meaning it had features different from some other well-known members of Ornithomimosauria.
Fossil tracks from similar dinosaurs have been found in Utah, showing that Arkansaurus shared its environment with various other dinosaurs and even crocodiles during its time.
In summary, Arkansaurus is a unique dinosaur discovered in Arkansas, and it holds the honor of being the state dinosaur. Its story, from discovery to recognition, shows the exciting world of paleontology and the importance of fossils in understanding Earth’s history.