Description and Classification

Fostoria was a plant-eating dinosaur belonging to the Ornithopoda group, dinosaurs often referred to as “bird-footed.” More specifically, it is classified as an iguanodontian, a widespread and successful lineage of ornithopods during the Cretaceous period. Paleontologists estimate that Fostoria could grow to about 5 meters (16 feet) in length. Like other iguanodontians, it was likely capable of walking on its two strong hind legs (bipedal locomotion) but may have also moved on all four limbs (quadrupedal locomotion) when foraging for food. Fostoria would have possessed a horny beak at the front of its mouth, suitable for clipping off vegetation, and rows of powerful cheek teeth designed for grinding tough plant material.

Fostoria shared characteristics with other iguanodontians found worldwide, such as Iguanodon from Europe and North America. It is also related to Muttaburrasaurus, another significant ornithopod discovered in Australia. The study of Fostoria helps scientists understand the diversity and distribution of these herbivorous dinosaurs on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, of which Australia was then a part.

Distinguishing Features

Fostoria is notable for several key characteristics related to its biology and fossil discovery:

• Its bones are often opalised, meaning parts of the original bone material were replaced by opal. This type of fossilisation is rare for dinosaur remains and makes Fostoria fossils particularly distinctive.
• The Fostoria fossils were discovered in a bone bed, a concentrated accumulation of bones from multiple individuals. This indicates that Fostoria likely lived and moved in herds, providing the first clear evidence of such social behavior in an Australian dinosaur.
• As an iguanodontian, Fostoria probably featured a conical, spike-like thumb on each hand. This “thumb spike” is a characteristic trait of many iguanodontians and might have been used for defense against predators or for manipulating food items like branches.
• It represents one of the most complete iguanodontian skeletons known from Australia from the mid-Cretaceous period, offering crucial insights into the anatomy of these dinosaurs.

Paleoenvironment and Diet

During the mid-Cretaceous, the environment of Lightning Ridge where Fostoria lived was vastly different from the arid landscape seen today. It was a broad floodplain with numerous rivers, lakes, and lush forests, situated near the shores of the ancient Eromanga Sea, which covered a large part of inland Australia. Although Australia was located much further south than its current position, closer to the Antarctic Circle, the global climate was warmer, allowing for a temperate to warm, humid environment that supported rich plant life.

As a herbivore, Fostoria‘s diet would have consisted of the various plants available in this Cretaceous ecosystem. These likely included ferns, cycads, conifers, and possibly early flowering plants. Fostoria would have used its beak to snip off plant parts and its complex set of cheek teeth to efficiently grind down the tough vegetation before swallowing.

Significance and Ongoing Research

The discovery of Fostoria is highly significant for Australian paleontology. It provided the first definitive evidence of herding behavior in Australian dinosaurs and added a new, relatively complete iguanodontian to the continent’s fossil record, enriching our knowledge of dinosaur life in this part of the world. The unique opalised preservation of its fossils also draws considerable public and scientific attention.

Ongoing research on Fostoria aims to further understand its detailed anatomy, growth patterns, and locomotion. Scientists are also keen to compare Fostoria more closely with other iguanodontians, particularly those from other Gondwanan landmasses like Muttaburrasaurus from Australia and others from South America and Africa, to clarify their evolutionary relationships. Continued investigation of the Lightning Ridge fossil site may yield more material and information about the Fostoria herd, their ancient environment, and the unique processes that led to the opalisation of their bones. Each discovery like Fostoria helps to build a more comprehensive picture of Australia’s prehistoric past during the age of dinosaurs.