DINOWEB - палеозойские и мезозойские тетраподы

Although a complete skeleton has not been discovered and several other species are represented by more extensive fossil material, Ankylosaurus is often considered the archetypal armored dinosaur. Other ankylosaurids shared its well-known features, like the heavily-armored body and massive bony tail club, but Ankylosaurus was the largest member of its family.

Ankylosaurus was a "bird-hipped" dinosaur from the heavily armoured group known as the ankylosaurs. Much of its skeleton was fused together to produce a heavily plated back. Its head had robust triangular horns in each corner. Its skull was nearly 1 metre long, very broad but very thick leaving little room for a brain.

Ankylosaurus was one of the larger armoured dinosaurs. It's club-like tail, the most impressive part of its body, was made of large clumps of bony tissue fused to the tail vertebrae and encased in tough reptilian skin. Its muscular tail was flexible and able to swing the club powerfully from side to side. Ankylosaurus was not built to reach upwards and grazed on low-lying plants.