Stegosaurus: Dinosaur Quick Facts

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Stegosaurus was up to 26-30 feet long, about 9 feet tall, and weighed about 6,800 pounds. Its small brain was only the size of a walnut weighing roughly 2.5 – 2.9 ounces. Its skull was long. pointed, and narrow; it had a toothless beak and small cheek teeth. Its head was carried close to the ground, probably no more than 3 feet high.

The Stegosaurus Name

Meaning – Stegosaurus means “roof lizard” or “plated lizard”
Pronounced – STEG-o-SAWR-us
Named By – Othniel Marsh
When Named – 1877

What did the Stegosaurus eat?

Herbivore (plant-eater) – Stegosaurus probably ate ferns, smaller club mosses, cycads, horsetails, and bushy conifers.

How big is the Stegosaurus

Length – 26-30 feet long
Height – 9 feet tall at the hips
Weight – 6,800 pounds

When did the Stegosaurus live?

Late Jurassic period, about 156-140 million years ago

Where did the Stegosaurus live?

Fossils have been found in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, USA, North America.

Where have the fossils from the Stegosaurus been found?

The first Stegosaurus fossil was found in Colorado, USA, in 1876 by M. P. Felch. Others have been found since then.

What is the classification of the Stegosaurus?

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Archosauria
Order Ornithischia
Suborder Thyreophora
Superfamily Stegosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Genus Stegosaurus
Species S. armatus

Interesting facts about the Stegosaurus:

Stegosaurus had 17 bony plates that were embedded in its back – the plates ran along the Stegosaurus’ back and tail in two rows, and the plates alternated in alignment. The largest of these triangular plates was about 2.5 ft tall and just as long. Stegosaurus also had spikes at the end of its flexible tail.Although Stegosaurus was about the size of a bus, it had a head the size of a horse’s and a brain that was only the size of a walnut!

Resource by F.Rosseti

I am a teacher in Michigan. I grew up in Florida and have lived here in MI for close to 15 years. I enjoy writing and skiing in my spare time.

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