Facts About Ankylosaurus
While you may not have heard the name, we’re sure you’ll have seen an Ankylosaurus before. They’re one of the coolest and most unique dinosaurs, as well as one of the most recognisable due to their distinct armoured features.
Keep reading to learn lots of fun Ankylosaurus facts, such as how it had armour and could defend itself against predators. Although it may not seem like it so far, the Ankylosaurus was a pretty cool dude!
What did the Ankylosaurus look like?
The Ankylosaurus was covered in thick plates made of bone. These looked like big shields and acted like armour to defend against predators like the mighty T. Rex . Imagine having a suit of armour made of bone! The Ankylosaurus also had small bumps all over its body, especially along its back and sides.
These bumps were called osteoderms and were bony like their plates, making their skin tough and hard. Even if a predator managed to get past its bony plates, it would have a hard time biting through the Ankylosaurus’s tough bumpy skin. Although we know about these features from the Ankylosaurus skeletons, we still don’t know exactly what the Ankylosaurus would have looked like when it was alive. Check out three interpretation below!
Notice how it has multiple layers, kind of like a tortoise! The green bumps on its back indicate its skin, while the brown parts indicate its bony plates poking through. Although its bony plates were quite big, scientists aren’t sure how much would have been visible, particularly with bumps covering its back. Notice how it also has spiky bones on the side, giving it perfect all-round protection from predators.
You might also have spotted its thick tail. While it isn’t emphasised in this particular image, fossils of the Ankylosaurus indicate that it had a heavy club at the end of its tail. This could be swung around with huge force, defending against any predator that made it too close.
As the exact appearance of dinosaurs remains uncertain, the images above are provided for illustrative purposes only and have been generated using AI technology.
How big was the Ankylosaurus?
The Ankylosaurus was certainly not the biggest dinosaur, but it was still quite hefty, especially since it was designed to be a defensive creature. Although not very tall, the Ankylosaurus could be as long as a bus and as heavy as a truck—about 25 feet long and weighing around 4-8 tons. The Ankylosaurus was wide and short, with thick, muscular legs to help support its heavy body.
Surprisingly, their head was much smaller than the rest of their body, but their tail club certainly made up for it. Their club was about 4 feet long and would have made quite the impact, given its strength. It’s clear that the Ankylosaurus was all defence and wasn’t equipped to attack other dinosaurs, such as if it had a bigger head and teeth.
What did the Ankylosaurus eat?
Can you think of any other dinosaurs that had tiny heads? What did they have in common? Typically, large dinosaurs with smaller heads are herbivores, which means they eat vegetation like ferns and leaves. The Ankylosaurus was no exception; its small head was filled with flat teeth that were perfect for chewing on leaves and other soft plants.
Since the Ankylosaurus was pretty slow, it would have spent most of its time grazing and looking for food. With such great armour, the Ankylosaurus probably had no need to move quickly and could focus on its lunch without being disturbed by other dinosaurs. Imagine having to fight a big, spiky tortoise for your meal!
Where did the Ankylosaurus live?
The Ankylosaurus lived in the Cretaceous period, when the Earth was warm and had many forests filled with plants. Although we now know it as North America, the Ankylosaurus lived there when it was filled with vegetation and open plains. More specifically, Ankylosaurus fossils have been found in Montana, Wyoming, and Alberta, which is in Canada! Wouldn’t it be cool to go outside and see an Ankylosaurus munching on some grass?
What killed the Ankylosaurus?
The end of the Cretaceous period is also believed to be the end of the dinosaurs, when a massive asteroid hit the Earth and caused significant climate change. As the Ankylosaurus lived in this period, it’s likely that it went extinct along with other dinosaurs during this mass extinction event.
Although dinosaurs might not have died from the meteor’s impact, this impact caused fires, tsunamis, and a huge change in temperature. Even dinosaurs that had survived the meteor’s impact would unfortunately not have been able to survive in the changing climate. Herbivores like the Ankylosaurus wouldn’t have been able to find food, with the climate making it harder for the Earth to grow vegetation. With herbivores dying out, carnivores like the T. Rex wouldn’t have been able to eat either.
While we can’t say for sure which aspect killed the Ankylosaurus, it was likely a combination of the above factors.
Fun Facts about Ankylosaurus
- The Ankylosaurus lived over 66 million years ago, which is about 880,000 times a human lifespan.
- Although we don’t know exactly how hard the Ankylosaurus’s tail club could hit, scientists estimate it would be like being hit with a big hammer!
- The Ankylosaurus wasn’t very speedy, but its strong legs and wide stance helped it move faster than other herbivores, like the Brontosaurus.
- Its name comes from the Greek words “ankylos” and “saurus”. You might know that “saurus” means lizard, but “ankylos” means fused, making the Ankylosaurus a fused lizard!
- The reason scientists gave it this name is because its bones are fused together, making it stiff and harder to attack. In fact, “ankylos” can also mean stiff!
- Despite its head being small, the Ankylosaurus had a very thick skull, giving it even more protection against predators.
Closing Summary:
While the closest we could see to an Ankylosaurus today would be the humble tortoise, we hope you enjoyed learning about what they might have looked like and how they might have lived. We told you it was a pretty cool dinosaur! There’s still lots to learn, and you can find a bunch of information right here, as well as neat creative activities to get you thinking.
If you keep exploring and learning, maybe one day you’ll be a part of exciting new discoveries about the Ankylosaurus and more!
Ankylosaurus Questions & Answer Sheet
Think you know everything about the Ankylosaurus? From its impressive armor to its unique defense tactics, this dinosaur was one tough creature. Take our fun and educational quiz to see how much you’ve learned about the Ankylosaurus.
The answers are hidden in the facts shared above, so give it your best shot! Whether you’re a budding paleontologist or just curious about this cool dinosaur, this quiz will put your knowledge to the test. Ready to dive in? Let’s see how much of an Ankylosaurus expert you really are!
