Ankylosaurus

Ankylosaurus is a genus of dinosaurs that lived during the late Cretaceous period, around 70 million years ago. They were named after the tough, bony plates that covered their backs. Their tails also ended in bony knobs. Fossilized remains have been found in North America.

The Ankylosaurus, strongly resembled a living tank, protected by some formidable armor! Its thick skin also helped protect it from the large carnivores of that time. It lived amidst the carnivores like the Tyrannosaurus and Deinonychus. It's name means "fused lizard." To go with the scales and thick skin, the Ankylosaurus was also armed with rows of sizable spikes along its body, horns that stuck out from the back of its head, and a lumpy tail that looked like a club.

Ankylosaurus were bird-hipped dinosaurs and had bony plate-like projections that protected the eyes. Other than its under-belly, its whole body was plated. The club-shaped tail was a weapon of sorts, used by the Ankylosaurus as protection from predators.

Ankylosaurus was herbivore and diasid. It ate vegetation - it was a vegetarian. It ate a huge amount of plants that were low enough for it to forage. It is believed that the Ankylosaurus' body had a special "fermentation compartment" that assisted in breaking down the tough plant matter and aided in its digestion.

The Ankylosaurus was between 25 and 35 feet long and stood at a height of 4 ft. The fossils have been discovered in Western USA and Canada, North America and South America. http://www.itsdinosaurs.com/3-ankylosaurus.html

Although ankylosaurus was carrying big guns, with its tough armor and heavy, club-like tail protrusion, its brain case was extremely small in proportion to its body size.http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/prehistoric/ankylosaurus-magniventris.html

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