Gargoyleosaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GargoyleosaurusTemporal range: Upper Jurassic
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Fossil skeleton of Gargoyleosaurus parkpinorum at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Superorder: | |
| Order: | |
| Suborder: | |
| Infraorder: | |
| Family: | |
| Subfamily: |
Polacanthinae?
|
| Genus: |
Gargoyleosaurus
|
Gargoyleosaurus ("gargoyle lizard") was an amazing dinosaur that lived a very long time ago. It was a type of ankylosaur, which means it was an armoured dinosaur. Imagine a dinosaur walking on four legs with a stiff tail, covered in tough armor and spikes! Gargoyleosaurus was about 10 feet (3 meters) long, which is like three bicycles lined up. It stood about 3.3 feet (1 meter) tall at its shoulder and could weigh around a ton, similar to a small car!
What Did Gargoyleosaurus Look Like?
This dinosaur had a long, narrow beak. It was special because it had teeth on both the upper and lower parts of its beak. Most other ankylosaurs only had teeth on their lower beak. Gargoyleosaurus was a plant-eater. It had strong, protective body armor covering its back and tail. This armor was made of hollow, bony oval plates. It also had a series of sharp spikes running along each side of its body, making it look even more like a "gargoyle."
Where and When Did It Live?
Gargoyleosaurus lived in what is now Wyoming, in the United States. Its fossils are found in a famous rock layer called the Morrison Formation. This rock layer tells us about the late Upper Jurassic period. Gargoyleosaurus roamed the Earth about 155 to 144 million years ago. That was a very long time before humans existed!
See also
In Spanish: Gargoyleosaurus parkpinorum para niños
Images for kids
-
This image shows the skull and neck armor of Gargoyleosaurus parkpinorum. You can see its unique beak and a close-up of one of its cheek teeth.
