Stegosaurus - "Roof Lizard"

Stegosaurus



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Name Meaning: Roof Lizard
Diet: Herbivore
Size: Similar size to Triceratops
Time: Late Jurassic (159 - 144 million years ago)






Appearance

Stegosaurus is a genus of armoured stegosaurid dinosaur. Due to its distinctive tail spikes and plates, Stegosaurus is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs. At least three species have been identified. A large, heavily built, herbivorous quadruped, Stegosaurus had a distinctive and unusual posture, with a heavily rounded back, short forelimbs, head held low to the ground and a stiffened tail held high in the air. Its array of plates and spikes has been the subject of much speculation. The spikes were most likely used for defense, while the plates have also been proposed as a defensive mechanism, as well as having display and thermoregulatory functions. Stegosaurus had a relatively low brain-to-body mass ratio. It had a short neck and small head, meaning it most likely ate low-lying bushes and shrubs. The long and narrow skull was small in proportion to the body. It had a small antorbital fenestra, the hole between the nose and eye common to most archosaurs, including modern birds, though lost in extant crocodylians. The skull's low position suggests that Stegosaurus may have been a browser of low-growing vegetation. This interpretation is supported by the absence of front teeth and their replacement by a horny beak or rhamphotheca.





Behaviour

Stegosaurus has one of the smallest brains found in the dinosaur world to date. So it is unclear weather or not they where clever enough to graze in herds. They grazed on low bushes and trees much like the modern cow, their tail spikes where used in defence, swinging them back and forth to fight off predators while their back plates helped protect their spine from bites. When threatened, the Stegosaurus would rush blood into its armoured plates giving off vibrant colourations and possibly even making itself look healthier, fearsome and maybe even bigger! Their plates where also used in a similar way to a Spinosaurus, when blood comes close to the skin surface it looses heat, these plates had a large surface area to help the animal cool down on hot stressful days.





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