Ankylosaurus (A. magniventris "Fused Lizard") was a herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Maastrichtian of the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 68-66 million years ago. It was one of the last and largest members of its group, the ankylosaurids, which were characterized by their body armor and a club-shaped tail.
The ankylosaur measured around 6.5 meters in length and weighed about 4 tons. Its body was covered with bony plates that provided protection against predators, such as the fearsome tyrannosaurs. These plates fused along the back, neck, and limbs to form a solid armor that was nearly impenetrable.
The ankylosaur's head was small in relation to its body and was protected by a bony structure called a "helm." Its teeth were small and flat, indicating that it fed on hard, fibrous plants, such as ferns and cycads. It is also believed that it had a long, sticky tongue that allowed it to collect food more easily.
The ankylosaur's most distinctive feature was its tail, which was made up of thick, rigid bones that fused together to form a club-shaped structure. This tail was a powerful defensive weapon that could inflict serious injuries on predators that dared to get too close, and it is also thought that it may have evolved this way to compete with each other.
Although the ankylosaurus was a large and powerful animal, it is believed to have been relatively slow and clumsy in movement due to its heavy body and protective shell. However, its armor and club-shaped tail made it a formidable adversary for any predator that dared attack it.
Ankylosaur is known primarily from fossils found in North America, where it lived in what is now Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It is believed to have disappeared along with other dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period due to a mass extinction event that occurred about 66 million years ago.
Approximate measurements of the Ankylosaurus:
The ankylosaur measured around 6.5 meters in length and weighed about 4 tons. Its body was covered with bony plates that provided protection against predators, such as the fearsome tyrannosaurs. These plates fused along the back, neck, and limbs to form a solid armor that was nearly impenetrable.
The ankylosaur's head was small in relation to its body and was protected by a bony structure called a "helm." Its teeth were small and flat, indicating that it fed on hard, fibrous plants, such as ferns and cycads. It is also believed that it had a long, sticky tongue that allowed it to collect food more easily.
The ankylosaur's most distinctive feature was its tail, which was made up of thick, rigid bones that fused together to form a club-shaped structure. This tail was a powerful defensive weapon that could inflict serious injuries on predators that dared to get too close, and it is also thought that it may have evolved this way to compete with each other.
Although the ankylosaurus was a large and powerful animal, it is believed to have been relatively slow and clumsy in movement due to its heavy body and protective shell. However, its armor and club-shaped tail made it a formidable adversary for any predator that dared attack it.
Ankylosaur is known primarily from fossils found in North America, where it lived in what is now Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It is believed to have disappeared along with other dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period due to a mass extinction event that occurred about 66 million years ago.
Approximate measurements of the Ankylosaurus:
- Scale 1:35 - Complete
- Length 166mm
- Height 58mm
- Snout-tail length 187mm
