State Dinosaur
Augustynolophus MorrisiPhoto courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
Augustynolophus morrisi (au-gus-tine-o-LOAF-us MORE-iss-ee) roamed California about the same time as the better-known tyrannosaurus and triceratops who lived during the Maastrichtian Age (72.1 million to 66 million years ago). Only two fossil specimens of this dinosaur have ever been found – both in California. The first was discovered in 1939 in Fresno County and the second in San Benito County in 1941. A member of the hadrosaur family, A. morrisi was about 26 feet long, weighed about 3 tons, and was a vegetarian with a duck-shaped bill.
Its name honors two Californians: philanthropist Gretchen Augustyn and paleontologist Dr. William J. Morris. Both specimens can be seen at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Explore our State Symbols
- Amphibian - Red Legged Frog
- Animal - California Grizzly Bear
- Bird - California Valley Quail
- Colors - Blue and Gold
- Dance - West Coast Swing
- Dinosaur – Augustynolophus Morrisi
- Fabric – Denim
- Fife and Drum Band – California Consolidated Drum Band
- Flag
- Flower – California Golden Poppy
- Folk Dance – Square Dance
- Fossil – Saber-Toothed Tiger
- Freshwater Fish – California Golden Trout
- Gemstone – Benitoite
- Gold Rush Ghost Town – Bodie
- Grass – Purple Needlegrass
- Historical Society
- Insect – California Dogface Butterfly
- LGBTQ Veterans Memorial
- Marine Fish – Garibaldi
- Marine Mammal – California Gray Whale
- Lichen – Lace Lichen
- Marine Reptile – Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Military Museum
- Mineral – Gold
- Motto – Eureka
- Nickname – Golden State
- Nuts: Almond, Walnut, Pistachio, Pecan
- Prehistoric Artifact
- Quarter
- Reptile – Desert Tortoise
- Rock – Serpentine
- Silver Rush Ghost Town – Calico
- Seal
- Soil – San Joaquin
- Song – “I Love You, California”
- Sport – Surfing
- Tall Ship – Californian
- Tartan
- Theater – Pasadena Playhouse
- Tree – California Redwood
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
