Back to dinosaur directory
Ankylosaurus

Dinosaur profile

Ankylosaurus

Ankylosaurus magniventris

HerbivoreLate CretaceousArmoured

Pronunciation

an-KIE-loh-sore-us

Meaning

stiff lizard

Type

Armoured

Length

7m

Period

Late Cretaceous

Years

74 - 67 million years ago

Location

Canada, USA

Diet

Herbivore

About Ankylosaurus

Ankylosaurus is a genus of armored dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 66-65 million years ago. It was a large, herbivorous dinosaur, with an estimated length of about 23-26 feet and a weight of about 4-5 tons. Ankylosaurus had a heavily-armored body, with a thick, bony plate covering its back, sides, and tail. It also had a club-like tail, which it may have used as a weapon to defend itself against predators. Its body was probably covered in a layer of tough, scaly skin.

Ankylosaurus was discovered in the western United States in the early 1900s, and was named by paleontologists in 1908. It is considered a member of the ankylosaurid group of armored dinosaurs, which also includes species such as Euoplocephalus and Saichania. Ankylosaurus is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several partial skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this dinosaur.

Wikipedia image gallery

Extra reference images from Wikimedia projects. These are loaded live in your browser.

More Late Cretaceous profiles

Explore related dinosaurs with similar diet, type, period, or fossil location to Ankylosaurus.

Browse all dinosaurs