Whats the dinosaur with the plates on its back?
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus, (genus Stegosaurus), one of the various plated dinosaurs (Stegosauria) of the Late Jurassic Period (159 million to 144 million years ago) recognizable by its spiked tail and series of large triangular bony plates along the back.
Why did dinosaurs have plates on their backs?
The plates were a temperature-regulation device. If Stegosaurus was, in fact, cold-blooded (as most plant-eating dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era presumably were), it might have used its plates to soak up light from the sun during the day and dissipate extra body heat at night.
What did Ankylosaurus look like?
Often compared to an army tank or bus, Ankylosaurus was a heavily armored dinosaur with a large club-like protrusion at the end of its tail. Ankylosaurus means “fused lizard” in Greek, and it was given that name because bones in its skull and other parts of its body were fused, making the dinosaur extremely rugged.
What is on the back of Stegosaurus?
But most evidence supports the idea that the plates alternated in two rows, pointy side up from the dinosaur’s neck down to its rear. Its 17 plates, called scutes, were made of a bony material called osteoderms but were not solid; they had lattice-like structures and blood vessels throughout.
How do we know Stegosaurus have spikes?
Instead, Stegosaurus likely used its plates for display purposes. “Showing off, species recognition, attracting mates — that sort of thing,” Carpenter explained. Stegosaurus also had spikes at the end of its flexible tail, which pointed outward from the sides.
Are Ankylosaurus still alive?
Ankylosaurus has been found in the Hell Creek, Lance, Scollard, Frenchman, and Ferris formations, but appears to have been rare in its environment….Ankylosaurus.
| Ankylosaurus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian), | |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | †Ornithischia |
| Suborder: | †Ankylosauria |
What dinosaur had bony plates on its back?
Stegosaurus means “roofed lizard,” which was derived from the belief by 19th-century paleontologists that the plates lay flat along its back like shingles on a roof. But most evidence supports the idea that the plates alternated in two rows, pointy side up from the dinosaur’s neck down to its rear.
Why did Stegosaurus have plates on its back?
The armor plates of the Stegosaurus were arrayed along the spine. Although they may have had some defensive purpose, it is more likely that they were used for temperature regulation as they are streaked with cavities that probably allowed for blood flow.
What dinosaur has spikes on its head?
It has a face full of spikes. In fact, Akainacephalus literally translates to “spiky” or “thorny” head. Akainacephalus was an armoured dinosaur and it had to be, considering the fact it lived in the same time period as (and likely encountered) the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
