Stegosaurus

Easily recognized with its plate-lined back, stegosaurus is among the best-known Jurassic dinosaurs. The plates may have helped to regulate the animal's body temperature. A notoriously small head and spikes on the tail are other typical features.

Stegosaurus is the most familiar of the plated dinosaurs, or stegosaurs. It grew to at most 8 metres long.

Stegosaurus had a narrow body, and a heavy, spiked tail. Whether the purpose of the double row of broad, bony plates along its back was defensive armour, or a means of regulating its body temperature, the tail spikes were almost certainly used to defend itself from its contemporary predator, Allosaurus.

Its back legs were twice as long as its front legs. This plant-eater may have reared on its back legs to reach tall vegetation.

Both the skull and brain of Stegosaurus were disproportionately small for such a large animal (it is famed for having a brain the size of a walnut). Neither was it well suited for chewing plants, with a toothless beak and small, weak, cheek teeth.

This document was prepared by Wayne Hortensius, Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society. All information © 1995 Royal Tyrrell Museum. All Rights Reserved.
Updated: April 8, 1995

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