You can vote for the official state dinosaur of Massachusetts
Every state in America celebrates its natural landscape with state birds and flowers but one lawmaker will be joining an exclusive group to name a state dinosaur. The Massachusetts State Representative Jack Lewis announced his plan to file legislation on Jan. 15 to name an official state dinosaur.
This bill is only one piece of a robust legislative agenda for this new term. While I wish that my bills on youth health & wellness, renewable energy, animal welfare, regional transportation, and consent education also generated this same buzz, I am overjoyed by the excitement. https://t.co/rQACSDIAXW
— Rep. Jack Lewis (@RepJackLewis) January 6, 2021
Rep. Lewis explained the goal of his plan is to educate children on the legislative process while joining an exclusive group of states who have official state dinosaurs. The new piece of legislation will be filed on January 15 and Rep. Lewis is offering people the chance to vote for the official state dinosaur from two species discovered in Massachusetts.
One of the species, Podokesaurus holyokensis, meaning “swift-footed lizard of Holyoke” was discovered in 1910 by Mignon Talbot near Mount Holyoke and was the first dinosaur to be named with a description by a woman. According to scientific evidence, the species was believed to be 3-6 feet in length, weighing 90 pounds, and can run to speeds up to 9-12 mph.
MA @RepJackLewis is proposing to name a state dinosaur. He’s asking residents to select from two species discovered in MA
•Podokesaurus (swift-footed lizard found in 1910 near Mount Holyoke) •Anchisaurus (found in 1855 in Springfield)
*12 states have an official 🦕 #7news pic.twitter.com/L47Scwg1Xe
— Amaka Ubaka (@AmakaUbakaTV) January 6, 2021
The second state dinosaur candidate, Anchisaurus polyzelus, means “much sought after near lizard” that was discovered in Springfield in 1855 with scientific evidence indicating the dinosaur was 6 feet long and weighs 60-75 pounds. Paleontologists were consulted for the project and people can vote for their favorite choice.
Currently, 12 states have named their official state dinosaur including:
– Arizona: Sonorasaurus thompsoni
– Arkansas: Arkansaurus fridayi
– California: Augustynolophus morrisi
– Colorado: Stegosaurus armatus
– Connecticut: Dilophosaurus sp.
– District of Columbia: Capitalsaurus
– Maryland: Astrodon johnstoni
– Missouri: Hypsibema missouriensis
– New Jersey: Hadrosaurus foulkii
– Oklahoma: Acrocanthosaurus atokensis
– Texas: Paluxysaurus jonesi
– Utah: Utahraptor ostrommaysorum
– Wyoming: Triceratops horridus
You can be apart of history by helping to choose the official state dinosaur of Massachusetts by voting here.
