Top 6 Fascinating Facts About the Stegosaurus

The Stegosaurus had a narrow, horizontally positioned skull with a horned beak covering the front of its snout, which included two upper jaw bones and one lower jaw bone. This skull structure is similar to that of turtles and birds. Aside from the Huayangosaurus, later species of Stegosaurus no longer had upper jaw teeth.

The Stegosaurus, a 9-meter-long dinosaur, lived during the Late Jurassic period in what is now North America. This dinosaur is particularly famous for having two brains, one in its head and another near the base of its tail. Stegosauruses often lived in groups and had sharp, sword-like plates on their backs.

British scientists have discovered an entirely new species of Stegosaurus.

Reconstructed, the dinosaur's skeleton reveals unique disc-shaped plates protruding from its spine. According to the Natural History Museum in London, this species dates back about 168 million years, to the middle Jurassic period.

Previously, only a Stegosaurus from the Late Jurassic period had been known, making this newly discovered fossil the oldest of its kind. Susannah Maidment, the lead researcher, stated that this find expands our understanding of Stegosaurus evolution.

Here are some additional fascinating facts about the Stegosaurus:

• A fossil discovered in 1994 in Wyoming, China, measured 4.6 meters in length and 2 meters in height, estimated to weigh 2.4 tons when alive. This fossil is now on display at the University of Wyoming's Geological Museum.
• The largest dorsal plate ever found by paleontologists measured 60 cm in width.
• Stegosaurus teeth were small, deeply set within the jaw, and shaped like a crown.
• The Stegosaurus had two brains, each about the size of an apple—one in its head and one near the base of its tail.

The Stegosaurus, scientifically known as Stegosaurus, derives its name from 'Stego' meaning 'roof' and 'Saurus' meaning 'lizard.' This dinosaur lived around 155-150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period, primarily in what is now the western United States and Portugal. The Stegosaurus is easily recognizable by its distinct back plates, short front legs, long hind legs, and its elevated, long tail.

First discovered and named by paleontologist O.C. Marsh in 1877, over 30 skeletal fossils (including tail, hips, legs, vertebrae, and some back plates) have been unearthed.

The most distinctive feature that sets the Stegosaurus apart from other dinosaurs is its back plates. These plates range from 17 to 22 in number and are made of bone, forming scales, plates, or other structures, similar to those found in modern reptiles, amphibians, and crocodiles. The plates are flat and thick, but they were not directly attached to the dinosaur’s skeletal structure. While the plates may appear staggered, they were actually paired in nearly identical sizes, though not exactly the same.

The exact function of these back plates remains a mystery, but several theories have been proposed. The large size of the plates may have increased the Stegosaurus’s height, helping it intimidate predators. Additionally, during mating season, males may have used the plates to attract females. More recently, scientists discovered that these plates may have also played a role in regulating body temperature. Blood vessels running through the grooves of the plates suggest that they could have helped the Stegosaurus adjust to extreme environmental conditions.

The Stegosaurus was a herbivore, much like many other species from the Late Jurassic period. Its diet mainly consisted of moss, ferns, horsetails, conifer trees, and fruits. Based on its body structure, skull shape, and height, it’s believed that Stegosaurus fed on plants that were within a height of about 1 meter, ideal for feeding by foraging in dense vegetation.

If scientists' theories are correct, and Stegosaurus could stand on two legs, it would have been able to feed on vegetation as high as 6 meters. Additionally, the dinosaur’s small teeth were not designed to grind food but rather for stripping leaves and gripping plants. The actual digestion process would occur in the digestive system, not through the teeth.