Ankylosaurus

## Physiology

### Description

Heavily-armored, herbivorous dinosaur equipped with a massive club at the end of the tail

### Attributes

Heavy armored body; armored eyelids; club at tail end; short legs; soft underside

## Biography

### Locations

North America

***Ankylosaurus*** (name meaning "*Fused Lizard*") is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America. The namesake and largest member of the ankylosaur family, measuring 10 meters long and weighing 7 tons, *Ankylosaurus* is one of the world's best-known dinosaurs, recognizable for its protective armor and the massive club at the end of its tail.

In the Series 2 finale, "***Death of a Dynasty II: The Return of the King***", a herd of Ankylosaurus (consisting of eight adults and four juveniles), were brought to the park from Late Cretaceous Montana, 65 million years ago. They reside in the Ankylosaur Woodland Enclosure and recently made nests to lay their eggs.

## Facts

### Era & Discovery

The last of the tank-like armored dinosaurs, *Ankylosaurus* lived in the Late Cretaceous period, about 86 to 65 million years ago, and died out alongside other dinosaurs during the K/T extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous. It shared its environment with animals such as *Ornithomimus*, *Pachycephalosaurus*, *Torosaurus*, *Triceratops*, and *Edmontosaurus* as well as the predators that hunted it, just as *Tyrannosaurus rex*.

   In 1906, an American Museum of Natural History expedition led by paleontologist Barnum Brown discovered the type specimen of *Ankylosaurus magniventris* in the Hell Creek Formation, near Gilbert Creek, Montana. Although a complete skeleton has not been discovered and several other dinosaurs are represented by more extensive fossil material, *Ankylosaurus* is often considered the heavily built dinosaur.

### Physical Attributes

An extraordinary species of herbivorous dinosaur that specialized in defense, *Ankylosaurus* was the largest member of the ankylosaur family, standing about 7 feet (2.3 m) tall, measuring at approximately 33 feet (10 m) long, and weighing at 7 tons (15,000 lbs.). Although a complete skeleton has not yet been discovered and several other dinosaurs are represented by more extensive fossil material, *Ankylosaurus* is often considered the most heavily built dinosaur. *Ankylosaurus* was most well known by the distinctive knobs and plates of bone known as osteoderms, and had a large club-like tail.

*Ankylosaurus* evolved to withstand attacks from even giant predatory dinosaurs, such as *Tyrannosaurus rex*. Well protected from theropod dinosaurs, large bony plates, which probably had additional horn-like coverings, protected its flanks. They were so heavily armored that such formidable natural defenses meant that *Ankylosaurs* was a herbivorous dinosaur that had very limited intelligence due to its skull being heavily reinforced (as was the rest of the animal) with heavy armor, leaving little space for much of a brain at all. Therefore, it did not need any serious brainpower, and consequently, its brain was quite small, even though the skull of this dinosaur was quite big and thick - even their eyelids were hardened armor to provide better protection.

And if that wasn't enough, they had a massive, formidable bony club on the end of their tails, in which multiple vertebrae had fused together to create this club, which was a 56 – 60 kg (140 – 150 lbs.) ball made out of solid bone and would have been a devastating defensive weapon wielded against attacking predators. Analysis of *Ankylosaurus* brain cavity indicates the most highly developed part of its brain was devoted to its sense of smell.

*Ankylosaurus* was the most heavily armored animals of all time. Literately, these creatures body was like an armored box. However, much like modern rhinos, *Ankylosaurus* also had poor eyesight, but their senses of smell could still detect a predator. This dinosaur was well protected from large predators. Large bony plates, which probably had additional horn-like coverings, protected its flanks. Its legs were directly underneath its body, not sprawled out like a tortoise's, and when it was confronted with a predator, *Ankylosaurus* could move quickly enough.

The skull was thick with two pairs of sharp horns at the back of the head. Parts of the tail vertebrae were fused like the handle of a club, while the base of the tail remained flexible. However, despite their heavy armor, Ankylosaurus had one vulnerable stop: its underside.

#### Capabilities & Weaponry

* **Armor Body:** As an ankylosaur, *Ankylosaurus* possessed body armor covering almost its entire body, even its eyelids. However, only its underside is vulnerable to attack.
* **Club Tail:** In addition to its armor, *Ankylosaurus* possessed a large, bony club on the end of its tail that allowed it to strike at opposing dinosaurs, such as predators.
* **Senses:** While it has poor eyesight, *Ankylosaurus* has an acute sense of smell.

### Behavior & Traits

*Ankylosaurus* was also a solitary dinosaur but often lived together in pairs in dry forest/prairies of the highlands during the Cretaceous. Additionally, *Anklylosaurus* inhabited floodplain environments that were heavily monsoonal that had occasional rainfall, tropical storms, and forest fires. In the presence of other fellow herbivores, such as *Torosaurus* and *Triceratops*, *Ankylosaurus* often ate with those dinosaurs. Its bony armor weighed it down so much that it fed only on low-growing shrubbery and other vegetation that was closer to the ground. *Ankylosaurus* females built nests during the breeding season consisting of large branches. Their eggs are laid in these nests, but egg-thieving scavengers would still sometimes raid them.

*Ankylosaurus* had very little brains inside their reinforced skulls. So when faced with danger, they reacted automatically and aggressively. *Ankylosaurus* likely defended itself by pressing itself into the ground. When carnivores attacked, it would either do that or use his clubbed tail to hit any predators. Due to its heavily-reenforced armored skull having little room for the brain, it would most likely have been reduced to instinctive reactions. Despite its small brain size, *Ankylosaurus* may have been able to learn from experience and that made a rather unpredictable and aggressive dinosaur.

## Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History

### Season 2

*Ankylosaurus* makes its debut in *Death of a Dynasty II: The Return of the King*.

## Trivia

* *Ankylosaurus* is the last and largest ankylosaur brought to the park.
* The sound effects of *Ankylosaurus* are that of boar, moose, rhinoceros, and walrus growls sound effects.
* *Ankylosaurus* is shown to be too tall, being up to a tyrannosaurus' waist. In reality, they were only up to their knee.
* Paleontologists and dinosaur fans alike often informally refer to *Ankylosaurus* as the "Battle Tank of Dinosaurs", the Bane of *Tyrannosarus rex*.