Ankylosaurus

Name meaning: Fused Lizard

Time Period: Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) 66mya

Locations: Hell Creek Formation Wyoming - Ferris Formation/Lance Formation Alberta-Horseshoe Canyon Formation

Taxonomy: Ornithischia-Thyreophora-Ankylosauridae

Subspecies: A. magniventris

Characteristics ~ ~ ~ ~

Ankylosaurus was the first Ankylosaur and largest of the Ankylosauria family reaching almost 20 feet long and reaching weights of 4 tons. Ankylosaurus was covered with osteoderms to form heavy armor covering the top and sides of its body. They had dense bone surrounding the entire top of the skull including the eyelids and four horns on each of the back corners of the head. They had an exposed underbelly to reduce weight; predators were unable to reach its underside especially if the animal were to lay down. The last few vertebrae of Ankylosaurus tail formed a circular club out of enlarged osteoderms. Ankylosaurus evolved these clubs not to defend themselves from predators but from each other. Many Ankylosaurs have been found with fractured ribs lining up with ankylosaur clubs meaning probably spared each other over mates or territory. They are primarily depicted being isolated animals since they have no reason to gather in large groups like other herbivores would for defense. There are no signs of predation on Ankylosaurus fossils meaning predators like Tyrannosaurus avoided them. Which makes sense, Tyrannosaurus would break its teeth trying to bite down upon it and one swing from its club tail can instantly break an ankle which is certain death for any predator. Ankylosaurus ate a variety of shrubs and ferns, and other low growth with it’s mouth of only shearing teeth that couldn't chew its food . They had an extremely well developed sense of smell mostly because their heads would be under ferns most of the time. And a close relative Pinacosaurus has been found with a fossilized Larynx that shares more characteristics with birds then crocodiles, so ankylosaurs probably had a wide vocal range.

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History & Fossils ~ ~ ~ ~

Ankylosaurus has very poor material it was discovered in 1906 from a skull vertabrae ribs and about 30 osteoderms. Later reconstructions would use other species as reference like Polocanthus and Stegopelta. In 1910 a more complete skull was found and the tail club removing any doubts that Ankylosaurus was a synonym of Stegopelta.

Media Deptictions ~ ~ ~ ~

Jurassic Frachise The Ankylosaurus first appearence was in Jurassic Park 3 as a brief cameo. It has a splotch of red around the eyes and is overall more colorfull and nicer on the eyes. Ankylosaurus wasn't in either of the Jurassic Park Novels suprisingly, which I would of presumed he would of been. Ankylosaurus would later be a reoccuring backround dinosaur in the Jurassic World movies which features the same designs however in boring shades of gray. It's only major scene is it dying to the Indominous Rex even though swung it's club right on the Indominous Rexes face which should of killed it. In Jurassic World Rebirth it recived less screentime than a Snickers™ wrapper or a tin of Altoids™ mints. Anyways the design is alright it's too spikey, it's legs are too long and it's very oversized compared to the real life animal. The armor is also too segmented and is a layer overtop of it's back rather than being integrated with it's skin.

Prehistoric Kingdom