Ankylosaurus magniventris

Name: “rigid lizard”

Length: 9 m

Height: 2m

Weight: 3-4 tons

Diet: herbivore

Time: Cretaceous (70-65 MYA)

Location: North and South America


Ankylosaurus (means ‘rigid lizard’) is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur, containing one species, A. magniventris. Fossils of Ankylosaurus are found in geologic formations dating to the very end of the Cretaceous Period in western North America.

Although a complete skeleton has not been discovered and several other dinosaurs are represented by more extensive fossil material, Ankylosaurus is often considered the archetypal armored dinosaur. Other ankylosaurids shared its well-known features, like the heavily-armored body and massive bony tail club, but Ankylosaurus was the largest member of its family.

In comparison with modern land animals the adult Ankylosaurus was very large. Some scientists have estimated a length of 9 meters (30 ft). Another reconstruction suggests a significantly smaller size, at 6.25 m (20.5 ft) long, up to 1.5 m (5 ft) wide and about 1.7 m (5.5 ft) high at the hip. The body shape was low-slung and quite wide. Ankylosaurus was quadrupedal, with the hind limbs longer than the forelimbs. Although its feet are still unknown to science, comparisons with other ankylosaurids suggest Ankylosaurus probably had five toes on each foot.