With Governor Jerry Brown’s signature on AB 1540, California joins eight other states and Washington D.C. in having an official state dinosaur. The new California icon is the “duck-billed” hadrosaur Augustynolophus morrisi.

The only two known fossil specimens reside at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLA). They are currently on display in the Museum’s Dinosaur Hall, the award-winning 14,000 square foot exhibition space that also features the world’s only T. rex growth series and highlights the discoveries of paleontologists currently at work in the field.

The bill to establish the dinosaur started with then-law student Misha Tsukerman, who in 2016 reached out to paleontology experts Luis Chiappe (NHMLA), Tom Deméré (San Diego NHM), Kevin Padian (UC Berkeley), and Dick Hilton (Sierra College) seeking nominations for the state dinosaur. Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) introduced the resulting bill AB 1540 to the California State Legislature in February 2017.
Assemblyman Bloom is also behind the official Twitter account for the state dinosaur, @augustynolophus, where the dinosaur, nicknamed “Auggie,” boasts in its bio of being a “Native Californian, Los Angeles resident, older than Jerry Brown (barely), vegetarian, and firm believer in science.”

“California elementary school students are excited about the prospect of ‘Auggie’ becoming the State Dinosaur,” said Assemblymember Bloom (D – Santa Monica). “They’ve sent dozens of petitions, letters, and drawings of the dinosaur, confirming that ‘Auggie’ has already gotten children engaged in the legislative process and excited about paleontology. Having an official state dinosaur will help stimulate children’s interest in science as well as S.T.E.M. overall.”

Augustynolophus morrisi, named in 2014 by a team of scientists including NHMLA’s Dinosaur Institute Director Luis Chiappe, is a uniquely Californian dino. Augustynolophus has only been found in this state, and represents the most completely known dinosaur from California, including skull material (which is rare) that gives scientists more clues about what the dinosaur looked like.

“We’re excited about the upcoming announcement of a new California state dinosaur, and that we have the only fossils of this new icon in our Dinosaur Hall,” said Lori Bettison-Varga, NHMLA President and Director. “We want to use the specimens to highlight the idea that the scientific process is accessible, local, and ongoing, and that there is so much for future scientists to discover.”

“Auggie” joins the ranks of state emblems on display both inside and outside the Museum. These include the California grizzly bear (our state animal) in the North American Mammal Hall and Becoming Los Angeles; gold (our state mineral) in the Gem and Mineral Hall; and the saber-toothed cat (our state fossil) in both NHMLA’s Age of Mammals exhibit and at the La Brea Tar Pits Museum. Outside in the Nature Gardens, visitors can see artichokes (our state vegetable), avocados (our state fruit), and even coastal redwoods (our state tree). Auggie will also be the mascot of NHMLA’s second annual Dino Fest, a two-day celebration of all things dinosaur on September 23 and 24, 2017.

It features behind-the-scenes collections tours, expert panels, dinosaur puppet shows, and much more. Junior paleontologists will be able to explore the all-new Paleo Playzone, located in the Museum’s Discovery Center, where they will find interactive dig pits, dinosaur tabletop puzzles, and fossil art projects. At Dino Fest, fans of Augustynolophus can purchase an “Auggie the State Dinosaur” t-shirt in the Museum store to show their pride for the heroic hadrosaur.

“It’s fun to have a state dinosaur,” said Chiappe, “but it also gives us an opportunity to teach people about the nature of science and the surprising richness of the natural history of California.”

The two fossils of Augustynolophus morrisi were discovered during fieldwork conducted from 1939-1940 by the California Institute of Technology. One specimen was found in Fresno County in the Moreno Formation, near the geographical center of California. The other specimen was found nearby, in San Benito County. This herbivore lived 66 million years ago in the late Cretaceous period; a contemporary of familiar dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops.

The species name Augustynolophus morrisi honors two notable Californians, Dr. William J. Morris and Mrs. Gretchen Augustyn. Dr. Morris (1923–2000) was a geologist and paleontologist responsible for many of the dinosaur discoveries along the western coast of North America. He was a U.S. Army veteran, a former professor of Occidental College, and research associate at NHMLA. He also served as the Director of the Southern California Academy of Sciences from 1958–1970.

Mrs. Augustyn is a long-time supporter of the scientific and educational programs at NHMLA. Passionate about paleontology and the history of Earth, Augustyn is an active member of the Yosemite Conservancy and a donor to the Alf Museum in Claremont.

About the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County:

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is a national leader in research, exhibitions and education. The Museum was the first dedicated museum building in Los Angeles, opening its doors in 1913. It has amassed one of the world’s most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history — with more than 35 million objects, some as old as 4.5 billion years. For more information, visit the Museum’s website at www.nhm.org or call (213) 763-DINO. Follow NHMLA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (@nhmla).

About the NHMLA Dinosaur Institute:

The Dinosaur Institute (DI) houses the Museum’s collection of Mesozoic tetrapods (four-limbed vertebrates), dating from 250 million years ago to 66 million years ago. This collection includes fossils of dinosaurs spanning the Mesozoic Era, as well as fossils of other tetrapods that lived alongside the dinosaurs, such as flying and marine reptiles, crocodiles, turtles, amphibians, and early mammals.

The fossils in the NHMLA collection have been acquired over nearly a century, and the collection continues to expand rapidly through the Dinosaur Institute’s very active field programs.

The DI runs expeditions several times a year to collect fossils from Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah and participates in international field programs, most recently in China, South Africa, Argentina, and Antarctica.

The DI staff provides mentorship in paleontology for a diverse group of people, from volunteers and docents to undergraduate students and postdoctoral fellows. A wide range of research is conducted here at the Museum by both staff and visiting researchers, from examining different aspects of the evolution of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic animals to investigations into their diversity, genealogical relationships, ecology, and life history.

NHM.org/DI

Ed. Note: This above information was provided to KHTS by the  Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

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