Imagine a massive yet completely peaceful armored vehicle. That’s the basic idea with Stegosaurus. These colossal herbivores didn’t spend time hunting prey like their carnivorous rivals, but they were one of the most heavily armed with kite shaped plates lining their arched backs, and large spear shaped spikes at the end of their long tails. They commonly reached 20 – 25 feet in length, and weighed nearly 4 tons. So they were dangerous, but sadly not too bright. Their brain cavity was small when compared with their relatively massive body size. They also weren’t gifted with great speed. With four short stubby legs, it’s not likely that they could have moved quicker than 9-11 mph. So you might see why they walked around with such massive personal defense.

How do you measure up?

About the fossil:

Stegosaurus fossils are not common, especially since these grazing animals had small heads with no teeth. Their fossils are also highly sought-after as the Stegosaurus is one of the most identifiable dinosaurs of all time. This anterior caudal (tail) vertebra shows ‘prong morphology’, and stands 8.7 inches tall.

Restoration on this specimen is relatively minimal, primarily found in the form of gap fill restoration within repaired cracks. The most significant gap fill restoration is through the center of the vertebra (coronal plane) where it was found split in half within the ground. The restoration continues up through a portion of the vertebral arch. The prezygapophyses and postzygapophyses are natural and nicely intact. Repaired cracks can be found through the spinous process.

Name:	Stegosaurus
Type:	Caudal Vertebra w/ Prong Morphology
Age:	150 million years (Late Jurassic)
Location:	Bone Cabin Quarry, Wyoming (Morrison Formation)
Size:	8.7 inches