Ankylosaurus

Ankylosaurus (name meaning "Fused Lizard") is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America. The largest and namesake of the ankylosaur family, Ankylosaurus is also one of the world's most well-known dinosaurs, recognizable for its protective armor and massive club at the end of its tail.

Thought to have been extinct for 65 million years, there are still large groups that remain alive on Primeval Island.

Facts[]

Era & Region[]

The last and largest of the tank-like armored dinosaurs, Ankylosaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous period from 75 to 65 million years ago. It shared its environment with dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Parasaurolophus, and Pachycephalosaurus.

Discovery & Range[]

In 1906, an American Museum of Natural History expedition led by paleontologist Barnum Brown discovered the type specimen of Ankylosaurus magniventris in the Hell Creek Formation, near Gilbert Creek, Montana.

Physical Description[]

A species of armored herbivorous dinosaur often considered the most heavily built dinosaur, Ankylosaurus was also the largest member of the ankylosaur family, standing about 7 feet (2.3 m) tall, measuring at around approximately 33 feet (10 m) long, and weighing at 7 tons (15,000 lbs.). Ankylosaurus was most well known by the distinctive knobs and plates of bone known as osteoderms, and had a large club-like tail.

Despite being heavily armored, Ankylosaurs was a herbivorous dinosaur that had very limited intelligence due to its skull being heavily reinforced (as was the rest of the animal) with heavy armor, leaving little space for much of a brain at all. Therefore, it did not need any serious brainpower, and consequently, its brain was quite small, even though the skull of this dinosaur was quite big and thick - even their eyelids were hardened armor to provide better protection.

And if that wasn't enough, Ankylosaurus had a massive, formidable bony club on the end of their tails, in which multiple vertebrae had fused together to create this club, which was a 56–60 kg (140–150 lbs.) ball made out of solid bone and would have been a devastating defensive weapon wielded against attacking predators. However, much like modern rhinos, Ankylosaurus also had poor eyesight, but their senses of smell could still detect a predator. Analysis of Ankylosaurus brain cavity indicates the most highly developed part of its brain was devoted to its sense of smell.

Ankylosaurus was the most heavily armored animals of all time. Literately, these creatures body was like an armored box. This dinosaur was well protected from large predators. Large bony plates, which probably had additional horn-like coverings, protected its flanks. Its legs were directly underneath its body, not sprawled out like a tortoise's, and when it was confronted with a predator, Ankylosaurus could move quickly enough. The skull was thick with two pairs of sharp horns at the back of the head. Parts of the tail vertebrae were fused like the handle of a club, while the base of the tail remained flexible. However, despite their heavy armor, Ankylosaurus had one vulnerable stop: its underside.

Behavior & Traits[]

Ankylosaurus was also a solitary dinosaur but often lived together in pairs in dry forest/prairies of the highlands during the Cretaceous. In the presence of other fellow herbivores, Ankylosaurus often ate with those dinosaurs. Its bony armor weighed it down so much that it fed only on low-growing shrubbery and other vegetation that was closer to the ground. Ankylosaurus females built nests during the breeding season consisting of large branches. Their eggs are laid in these nests, but egg-thieving scavengers would still sometimes raid them.

Ankylosaurus had very little brains inside their reinforced skulls. Therefore, when faced with danger, they reacted automatically and aggressively. Ankylosaurus likely defended itself by pressing itself, more specifically its underside, closer to the ground. When carnivores attacked, it would either do that or use his clubbed tail to hit any predators. Due to its heavily-reenforced armored skull having little room for the brain, it would most likely have been reduced to instinctive reactions. Despite its small brain size, Ankylosaurus may have been able to learn from experience and that made a rather unpredictable and aggressive dinosaur.

Trivia[]

The sound effects of Ankylosaurus are that of wild boar, moose, rhinoceros, ram, and walrus sound effects.