Monday, April 18, 2016

Many Worlds of April. Saga of the Jurassic. Scutellosaurus

Scutellosaurus was a relatively small ornithischian dinosaur that may have been primarily bipedal,‭ ‬though still having fore limbs developed enough for providing quadrupedal support for activities such as feeding.‭ ‬Scutellosaurus also had a covering of armoured scutes along its back that provided flexible‭ ‬yet tough armour to give some defence against the teeth and claws of predators.‭ ‬This armour combined with the ornithishcian hip arrangement identifies Scutellosaurus as one of the first thyreophoran dinosaurs,‭ ‬better known as the armoured dinosaurs.‭ ‬Future descendants of primitive thyreophoran dinosaurs like Scutellosaurus would go on to produce popular giants like Stegosaurus and Ankylosaurus.
       Scutellosaurus is one of a growing number of dinosaur genera discovered in the Kayenta Formation,‭ ‬with two genera of particular note being Megapnosaurus and Dilophosaurus,‭ ‬both possible predators of Scutellosaurus.

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