Ankylosaurus

Ankylosaurus is a genus of heavily armoured, four-legged herbivorous dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous of western North America.

Ankylosaurus was a heavily armoured, plant-eating dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous. Its bony armour and tail club made it one of the most distinctive dinosaurs.

What it is

Ankylosaurus was a low-slung, four-legged herbivore covered in bony armour plates. Its most famous feature was a heavy club at the end of its tail, likely used for defence against predators. The name means “fused lizard,” referring to its fused armour.

Where it lived

It lived about 70–66 million years ago in western North America, including what is now Alberta, Canada. It shared its environment with other Late Cretaceous dinosaurs and fed on low-growing plants.

How it was discovered

The genus was named by Barnum Brown in 1908. Fossils have been found in Canada and the United States. Ankylosaurus belongs to the armoured dinosaur group Ankylosauria and is one of the largest known ankylosaurs.