Deltasaurus pustulatus facts for kids

Deltasaurus pustulatus was an ancient amphibian that lived a very long time ago, during the Triassic period. This amazing creature is known only from a fossil, which means it's an extinct species. It belonged to a family of amphibians called Rhytidosteidae. Scientists believe it hunted small creatures without backbones, like insects, and fish.

This special amphibian fossil was found in Southwest Australia, near a town called Geraldton. Finding such a fossil in a drill core was quite a surprise! It's the only known example of a Triassic animal with a backbone ever found in that specific area's Kockatea Formation.

Discovering Deltasaurus pustulatus

The first scientific description of Deltasaurus pustulatus was published in 1965 by a scientist named John W. Cosgriff. He recognized it as a new species within a new group, or genus, called Deltasaurus.

Where the Fossil Was Found

The fossil of Deltasaurus pustulatus was discovered in a place called Beagle Ridge Bore. This spot is located in the southwest part of Australia. The fossil material came from the Kockatea Formation, which is a layer of rock.

The fossil itself was a partial skull, meaning only part of its head was found. It was discovered inside a drill core, which is a long, cylindrical sample of rock taken from deep underground. This particular piece of rock was a grey-green shale, and the skull piece was about 86 millimeters long.

What Deltasaurus pustulatus Looked Like

Deltasaurus pustulatus was a type of Deltasaurus, but it had some unique features. Its skull was longer and narrower compared to its only known relative, Deltasaurus kimberleyensis.

Size and Diet

The skull of the fossil found was about 110 millimeters long. Based on its skull shape and what we know about similar animals, scientists think Deltasaurus pustulatus probably ate small creatures without backbones, like insects, and various types of fish.

The fossil skull was not complete. It seems that part of the skull was lost when the drill core was brought to the surface. However, the impression of the missing part was still visible on the rock, which helped scientists understand its full shape.

Where Deltasaurus pustulatus Lived

Deltasaurus pustulatus is the only ancient amphibian of its kind found in the Kockatea shale. The fine grey shale where the skull was found was likely a marine deposition, meaning it was formed in the sea. This suggests that the amphibian probably lived on land nearby, and its remains were washed into the sea after it died.

Finding vertebrate fossils, which are fossils of animals with backbones, in drill cores is very rare. Before this discovery, scientists didn't expect to find much at all! The fossil of Deltasaurus pustulatus was found very deep underground, between 797 and 800 meters, during a survey looking for mineral resources.