The dinosaur with a built-in medieval weapon
Stegosaurus is instantly recognizable by its double row of large plates along its back and the four long spikes at the end of its tail. The plates likely served for display or thermoregulation; the tail — nicknamed the “thagomizer” — was a devastating defensive weapon capable of breaking the bones of predators like Allosaurus.
Despite its impressive size, Stegosaurus had one of the smallest brains relative to body size of any dinosaur. It lived peacefully alongside giant sauropods in the Morrison Formation ecosystem.
- • The tail spikes could swing with enough force to fracture predator leg bones.
- • Back plates were highly vascularized and may have been brightly colored for display.
- • Brain the size of a walnut yet successfully survived for millions of years.
- • Preferred low vegetation — ferns, cycads, and horsetails.
Jurassic giants at dawn
A peaceful 9-second reconstruction of Stegosaurus and Brachiosaurus grazing together in a misty Jurassic forest.
Gallery
Habitat
Floodplains and forests of the Morrison Formation in western North America. Lush with conifers, ferns, and seasonal rivers.