Polar Allosaur

Polar Allosaur
Biological information
Attributes	Smaller version of Allosaurus; large body; strong jaws
Diet	Muttaburrasaurus; Leaellynasaura; other animals
Fossil finds	Australia Antarctica
Temporal fossil range	Cretaceous 106mya
In Walking with...
Other names	Dwarf Allosaur
TV appearances	Walking with Dinosaurs: Spirits of the Ice Forest

       

“	A polar Allosaur, a summer visitor from the warmer lands of the north.	”
– Walking with Dinosaurs: Spirits of the Ice Forest

The Polar Allosaur was a small allosaur from the Cretaceous. It was a smaller, Cretaceous relative of the Jurassic Allosaurus. 

Facts

Physical appearance and biology

Polar Allosaurs were small theropods that had large heads lined with sharp teeth. Above the eyes was a flat, hard, relatively small, head crest.

Like the other carnosaurs, the Polar Allosaur had large, thick legs as well as relatively large arms with three digits per hand.

In Walking with Dinosaurs, the Polar Allosaur was green with yellow stripes and splodges.

Behaviour and traits

Polar Allosaurs were the Cretaceous descendants of the Jurassic killer Allosaurus and its relatives. During the early Cretaceous, Polar Allosaurs migrated to the south and settled in Australia and even Antarctica. Polar Allosaurs were the top predators in their ecosystem. They were able to hunt nearly anything - from the small Leaellynasaura to the large Muttaburrasaurus. With their sharp teeth which were mementos of a bygone golden age, they could slice through the toughest hide.

Polar Allosaurs were solitary hunters. If two of the small kind came in contact, they wouldn't tolerate each other's presence - especially if food was involved.

In Walking with Dinosaurs

Spirits of the Ice Forest

Whilst a clan of Leaellynasaura were assembling nests, a Polar Allosaur watched in the background. However, whilst edging closer, it accidentally stepped on a small stick and spooked the small herbivores. As the little dinosaurs scattered, the Polar Allosaur attacked and crashed into a tree, knocking it over. As its prey bolted, the predator abandoned the hunt. When a vast herd of Muttaburrasaurus were at the lakeside drinking, a Polar Allosaur appeared from the forest. As the Muttaburrasaurus tried to intimidate the intruding carnivore, the Polar Allosaur ran away, across the shallow waters. It then returned to the forest.

Later, an old Muttaburrasaurus had been brought down and a male Polar Allosaur came to the festering carrion to feed. However, a female Allosaur also came to the carcass to feed. Unfortunately for the female, the male warded off the female and she only managed to tear off a small slab of flesh.

In Autumn, a Polar Allosaur stalked the Leaellynasaura clan. However, due to the noise being produced by a nearby Muttaburrasaurus herd, the small herbivores couldn't hear the predator. The clan scattered, but because of their late reaction, the dominant female was caught by the Allosaur. Once killed, the carnivore decapitated the Leaellynasaura and ate her head before moving on to the rest of the corpse.

Behind the scenes

BBC Nature has confirmed on the Australovenator page that the Polar Allosaur is Australovenator.

List of appearances

• Walking with Dinosaurs
  • 104. Giant of the Skies (cameo, credits)
  • 105. Spirits of the Ice Forest
• Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History
• The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life (picture)