Ruopodosaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Ruopodosaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 100 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 100 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Stegosaurs & ankylosaurs |
|---|---|
| Lived | 121.4–93.9 million years ago (Aptian to Cenomanian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Ankylosauridae |
| Named by | Arbour et al. 2024 |
| Fossil records | 5 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Canada, South Korea |
| Rock formations | Dunvegan, Kaskapau, Jindong |
About Ruopodosaurus
Ruopodosaurus (lit. 'tumble down foot lizard') is an ichnogenus of ankylosaurian dinosaur footprint. The ichnogenus contains a single ichnospecies, Ruopodosaurus clava, described in 2025 from prints found in the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian age) Dunvegan and Kaskapau formations of Canada (Alberta and British Columbia). Additional prints from the similarly aged Jindong Formation of South Korea were later tentatively referred to this ichnogenus. Ruopodosaurus represents the first recognized ankylosaurid tracks in the trace fossil record.
Ruopodosaurus is characterized by a pentadactyl manus (five-fingered hand) print and tridactyl pes (three-fingered foot) print. As such, it can be identified as having been created by a member of the ankylosaur family Ankylosauridae. This is in contrast to the tetradactyl (four-toed) pes prints of Tetrapodosaurus, which were created by non-ankylosaurid ankylosaurs such as 'nodosaurids'. Fragmentary body fossil remains likely belonging to ankylosaurids have also been identified from the Canadian geological formations from which Ruopodosaurus is known.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Ruopodosaurus (revision 1342478310), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q136331929.
