Borealopelta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Borealopelta |
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| The holotype specimen on display at the Royal Tyrell Museum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Borealopelta
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| Species: |
markmitchelli
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Borealopelta was a huge, armored dinosaur. It lived a long, long time ago during the Early Cretaceous period. This amazing dinosaur was found in Alberta, Canada. It belongs to a group of dinosaurs called nodosaurs, which are a type of ankylosaur.
Scientists found its armor still in place. This means the bony plates (called osteoderms) and even parts of its skin were preserved. It also had remains of its keratin sheaths. Keratin is the same material our fingernails and hair are made of. This makes Borealopelta one of the most complete ankylosaurs ever discovered!
Scientists even found traces of Melanin in its skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives color to skin and hair. This suggests Borealopelta might have had a reddish-brown color. This coloring could have helped it camouflage itself. Camouflage helps animals blend in with their surroundings. This way, they can hide from predators or sneak up on prey.
Borealopelta was a very large dinosaur. Scientists estimate it was about 5.5 meters (about 18 feet) long. That's longer than a typical car! It also weighed around 1,300 kg (about 2,866 pounds). That's as heavy as a small car!
See also
In Spanish: Borealopelta markmitchelli para niños
Images for kids
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Holotype shown from above
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Restoration
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Side view of its display case at the museum.
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Photocomposite and schematic line drawings of the holotype
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Comparisons of the size of the bony core and keratinous sheath of the parascapular spine of Borealopelta to modern analogs
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Specimen from the right side
