Re: New Zealand dinosaur fauna

["Tim Williams" <T.Williams@cclru.randwick.unsw.edu.au>]

John Schneiderman wrote:

> Do the insular fauna of Late Cretaceous New Zealand, match the
> Cretaceous fauna, especially like that found in Cape Otway, Australia?

Simple answer: No.  But this is largely because the dinofaunas of both 
Australia and New Zealand are too poorly known to make any meaningful
comparisons.  Most of Australia's dinosaurs are of mid-Cretaceous age 
(Aptian/Albian/Cenomanian), and I'm not sure if NZ has any dino 
material that is contemporary.

> What of Antartica's Cretaceous fauna?

I know of a nodosaur from Ross Island and a medium-sized ornithopod 
(?hypsilophodontid) from Vega Island.  The former is inderminate, the 
latter is awaiting a formal description.

> Many Thanks in advance,
> ---John Schneiderman (dino@revelation.unomaha.edu)