Imagine a barrel-like dinosaur, like a walking suit of armor. Ankylosaurus is a slow-moving plant-eater from the Cretaceous Period, roaming the North American continent.
What made Ankylosaurus special was its bone club at the end of its tail! Predators that come too close would risk a powerful hammer swing from an Ankylosaurus.
Though it wasn’t fast, it had a strong body, bony plates, spikes, and built-in defenses; it was one of the toughest dinosaurs of all time!
How Was It Discovered?
First discovered in 1906, Ankylosaurus bones were found in Montana by Barnum Brown.
Funny enough, the first fossil was far from complete; it was even missing its famous tail club, which wasn’t discovered until much later.
Though they did find pieces of its armor, it had separated from the main skeleton. We actually don’t know how the armor would have been arranged to this day.
Ankylosaurus Quick Facts
Ankylosaurus Quick Facts
Name: Ankylosaurus
Pronunciation: an-KEE-loh-SAW-rus
Meaning: Stiff lizard
Time-Period: Late Cretaceous (66 – 70 MYA)
Group: Ankylosauria
Classification:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia/Sauropsida
- Family: Ankylosauridae
- Subfamily: Ankylosaurinae
- Tribe: Ankylosaurini
- Genus: Ankylosaurus
- Species: Ankylosaurus magniventris
Diet: herbivore
Fossil Locations: Montana, Wyoming, USA; Alberta, Canada
Where Did Ankylosaurus Live?
During the Cretaceous Period in North America, there was much more flooding due to higher sea levels.
Their fossils have been found in:
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Alberta (Canada)
There would have been lots of low-growing plant life that the Ankylosaurus could eat. Especially due to its weak jaw, there would have been lots of soft, pulpy vegetation in these areas.
What Did Ankylosaurus Eat?
Being sloped downwards, Ankylosaurus could only feed on plants that were low to the ground.
With teeth for cropping, it likely ate vegetation such as:
- ferns
- cycads
- Angiosperms
Ankylosaurus Skull, Teeth, and Tail
Ankylosaurus skulls are around 25 inches long and 29 inches wide. Often in a triangular-shaped armored skull.
It had thin, leaf-shaped teeth. This dinosaur had relatively delicate teeth with serrations for cropping vegetation rather than chewing.
To defend itself, it had a back full of oval-shaped plates and spikes, as well as a thick club tail.
How Big Was It?
The length of Half a bowling lane, and squat like a barrel, Ankylosaurus was a giant, fully armored dinosaur.
Walking on four legs, squat to the ground. It had a very wide barrel-shaped body, with a short neck. Its forelegs were shorter than its hind legs, limiting its posture.
Anylosaurus was:
- 33 feet (10 meters) long
- 6 feet (2 meters) tall
- Weighed 4 tons
Next, let’s look at the family tree…
The Dinosaur Family Tree
Ankylosaurus is an Ornithischian dinosaur, a part of the Ankylosauridae family. The ornithischian dinosaurs are known for having armored plates on their back and bodies, and many have club tails.
- Euoplocephalus
- Saichania
- Pinacosaurus
Next, let’s look at some fun facts!
Fun Facts
- Last and Largest of Armored Dinosaurs: Being around 33 feet (10 meters) long, it was the largest of the armored dinosaurs.
- Dug Up By Farm Hands: The paleontologist Barnum Brown found a specimen in 1910 and paid local ranchers to dig it up for him. When he returned a year later, the ranchers had excavated 1180 cubic yards of sandstone, mostly by hand.
- Fused Bone Armor: The spikes covering its back and head were actually fused with its bones, with flexible armor plates and skin surrounding the bone. Even its club at the end of its tail is actually an enlarged spinal vertebrate.