How It Works-Book Of Dinosaurs

Ankylosaurus was one of the largest

ank ylosaurs, a genus of armoured

dinosaurs that lived throughout North

A merica bet ween 75 and 65.5 million years ago.

Famous for both its brutal tail-mounted club

and its immense bone plate armour, the

A nk ylosaurus was a defensive titan, capable of

fending off rivals many times its size.

Ank ylosaurus’s focus on defence was born

out of its herbivorous nature, with its entire

body geared towards the consumption of

foliage. From its low-slung body, rows of

leaf-shaped cropping teeth, short front legs,

wide feet and cavernous stomach, the

A nk ylosaurus was the consummate browser,

devouring vegetation whole with little

shredding or chewing. Indeed, studies have

indicated that the skull and jaw of the

Ankylosaurus were structurally tougher than

many similar, contemporary dinosaurs.

In fact, evidence suggests that Ankylosaurus

• and ank ylosaurs in general – were adept
  sur v ivors. But despite their impressive armour,
  weaponr y and sustainable diet, they could not
  cope with the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction
  event that w iped out all terrestrial dinosaurs
  approximately 65.5 million years ago. Only a
  few fossils of this prehistoric herbivore have
  been excavated to date – most coming from the
  Hell Creek Formation in Montana, USA.

Ankylosaurus

A club-wielding brute of a creature, this

tough dino had the power to break bones

The well-known tail club of the Ankylosaurus

was one of the most lethal weapons sported by

any dinosaur. The club was made from several

large bone plates called osteoderms that were

fused into the last few vertebrae of the animal’s

tail. Behind these vertebrae several others lined

with thick, partially ossifi ed tendons completed

the club’s handle, resulting in a structure that,

when swung, was capable of dealing out a lot of

damage. Indeed, a study in 2009 suggested that

the tail clubs of fully grown ankylosaurs could

easily crush and break bone with a force capable

of caving in an assailant’s skull. Whether or not

the animal purposely aimed the club to cause

damage remains unclear at this point.

Club members only

Head

The Ankylosaurus’s head

was square, fl at and

broader than it was long.

The jaws featured curved

rows of irregularly edged,

leaf-shaped teeth for

tearing vegetation

Neck

The dinosaur’s head sat at

the end of a very short and

stocky neck. This helped

support its bulky head and

also acted as a bracing

mechanism when charging

Front leg

Powerful but short legs

supported the front half of the

animal. The wide foot area of

these forelegs granted good

traction and stability

Stomach

The only part of the dinosaur

that was unarmoured, the

underbelly hung low to the

ground. Predators would try

to tip Ankylosaurus over to

access this weak point

Get to know the key biology of this tank-like dino

Ankylosaurus anatomy

Body

The bulk of the near-six ton

beast was contained

within its low-slung body.

This was covered with

armoured bone plating

and topped with spines

Osteoderm

Covering much of the body

Ankylosaurus sported a series of

bony plates called osteoderms

embedded in the skin

As well as a weapon,

the tail might also

have played a role in

sexual selection

DINOSAURS

Ankylosaurus