Stegouros elengassen is an extinct species of ankylosaur dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 74 to 70 million years ago, in what is now the southern region of Chile. This dinosaur is especially notable for its unique weaponized tail, which distinguishes it from other known ankylosaurs.
The body of Stegouros elengassen was relatively small compared to other members of its family, with an estimated length of around 2 meters. Unlike other ankylosaurs, which generally had a club on their tail, Stegouros featured a unique fan-shaped structure or "war club", made up of seven pairs of fused bones, suggesting defensive use against predators. This structure is one of the most striking and distinctive features of the species, and suggests a different evolutionary lineage within ankylosaurs.
The skull of Stegouros elengassen was relatively small, with a broad snout and teeth suited to cutting low vegetation. This indicates that it was a herbivore, feeding mainly on plants that grew close to the ground. Its body was covered by osteoderms, bony plates that provided defensive armor, a common feature among ankylosaurs.
Stegouros' limbs were robust, with front legs slightly shorter than back legs, giving it a somewhat forward-leaning posture. Although it was not a large-sized dinosaur, its body armor and uniquely armed tail would have provided effective defense against predators that inhabited its environment.
Stegouros elengassen was discovered in the Dorotea Formation, in the Magallanes region of Chile, and its name comes from the Greek word "stegos" (covered) and "uros" (tail), along with "elengassen," a term from indigenous Aónikenk mythology that refers to mythological creatures similar to armadillos.
Approximate measurements of the Stegouros:
The body of Stegouros elengassen was relatively small compared to other members of its family, with an estimated length of around 2 meters. Unlike other ankylosaurs, which generally had a club on their tail, Stegouros featured a unique fan-shaped structure or "war club", made up of seven pairs of fused bones, suggesting defensive use against predators. This structure is one of the most striking and distinctive features of the species, and suggests a different evolutionary lineage within ankylosaurs.
The skull of Stegouros elengassen was relatively small, with a broad snout and teeth suited to cutting low vegetation. This indicates that it was a herbivore, feeding mainly on plants that grew close to the ground. Its body was covered by osteoderms, bony plates that provided defensive armor, a common feature among ankylosaurs.
Stegouros' limbs were robust, with front legs slightly shorter than back legs, giving it a somewhat forward-leaning posture. Although it was not a large-sized dinosaur, its body armor and uniquely armed tail would have provided effective defense against predators that inhabited its environment.
Stegouros elengassen was discovered in the Dorotea Formation, in the Magallanes region of Chile, and its name comes from the Greek word "stegos" (covered) and "uros" (tail), along with "elengassen," a term from indigenous Aónikenk mythology that refers to mythological creatures similar to armadillos.
Approximate measurements of the Stegouros:
- 1:20 scale - Complete
- Length 67 mm
- Height 33 mm
- Width 36 mm
- Snout-tail length 100 mm
- 1:10 scale - Complete
- Length 133 mm
- Height 65 mm
- Width 72 mm
- Snout-tail length 200 mm
