Minmi (dinosaur)

Minmi, named after Minmi Crossing, Australia (where it was found), is a genus of small ankylosaurian dinosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 119 to 113 million years ago. The type species, M. paravertebra, was described by Ralph Molnar in 1980. A new cladistic analysis performed by Thompson et al., 2011 suggests that Minmi is the basalmost known ankylosaurid.[1]

Previously holding the record for the shortest dinosaur genus name, the title now goes to Mei, a carnivore from China that was named in 2004, and Kol, a carnivore from Mongolia that was named in 2009. Two good specimens of Minmi have been described, including a mostly complete skeleton, and additional fragments may pertain to this genus.

Discovery and species
Minmi was found near the Minmi Crossing, in the Bungil Formation, near Roma, Queensland, Australia. It was first described in 1980 by Ralph E. Molnar, who also named the type (and only known) species.

Description
Minmi had four long (for an ankylosaurian) legs, with hind legs that were larger than front legs, a short neck and a wide skull with a very small brain. The dinosaur grew to about 2 metres (6.6 ft) long[2] and was roughly 1 m (3 ft) tall to the top of the shoulder. Minmi probably moved relatively slowly on four legs, based on its estimated mass and its leg length as determined by scientists from fossilized tracks.