Ankylosaurs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids AnkylosaursTemporal range: Middle Jurassic—Upper Cretaceous
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| Euoplocephalus, an ankylosaur | |
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| Animantarx: a nodosaur | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | †Ornithischia |
| Clade: | †Eurypoda |
| Suborder: | †Ankylosauria Osborn, 1923 |
| Subgroups | |
Ankylosaurs were amazing plant-eating dinosaurs. They were famous for their strong, bony armor. This armor covered their bodies like a suit of natural protection. These dinosaurs walked on four short, powerful legs. Scientists have found Ankylosaur fossils all over the world. This shows they lived on many different continents.
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What Were Ankylosaurs?
Ankylosaurs were a special group of dinosaurs. They belonged to the order called Ornithischia. This group includes many plant-eating dinosaurs. Their most famous feature was their tough body armor. This armor was made of bony plates. These plates are called scutes. They were like built-in shields.
Ankylosaur Body Features
Ankylosaurs had short, strong legs. They walked on all four legs, like a rhino. This made them quadrupeds. Their legs were built for carrying their heavy, armored bodies. The armor helped protect them from predators. It was a very effective defense.
Where Did Ankylosaurs Live?
Fossils of Ankylosaurs have been found everywhere. They lived on every continent. This means they were very successful dinosaurs. They lived from the Middle Jurassic period. They survived until the Upper Cretaceous period. That's a very long time!
Types of Ankylosaurs
Scientists divide Ankylosaurs into two main groups. These groups are the Ankylosauridae and the Nodosauridae. Both groups had armor. But they had some important differences.
Ankylosauridae: The Club-Tailed Dinosaurs
The Ankylosauridae group included dinosaurs like Euoplocephalus. These dinosaurs had armor from their head to their tail. Their most special feature was their tail. It ended in a large, bony club. They could swing this club to defend themselves. It was a powerful weapon against attackers.
Nodosauridae: The Spiky Dinosaurs
The Nodosauridae group included dinosaurs like Animantarx. These Ankylosaurs did not have a tail club. Instead, their bodies were covered in spikes. They also had bony bumps. These spikes and bumps offered great protection. They made it hard for predators to bite them.
Images for kids
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Armour of the nodosaurid Edmontonia
See also
In Spanish: Ankylosauria para niños
