Uncovering Stegosaurus

With its unmistakable appearance and colossal size, the hulking Stegosaurus is one of the most famous and recognisable dinosaurs in history. However, it also remains one of the most enigmatic dinosaurs of all time.

With that in mind, join us as we uncover ten facts you might not know about this legendary dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period …

Did You Know?

1. The word Stegosaurus means ‘roof lizard’.

2. It was initially believed that Stegosaurus’ back plates were laid flat as armour; however, multiple specimens were later found with upright plates.

3. Stegosaurus belongs to the stegosaur group, a group that comprises large prehistoric herbivores identifiable by two rows of bony plates or spikes along their backs.

4. The function of these plates remains a mystery, with suggestions for their possible uses ranging from regulating their body temperature to a display for attracting partners.

5. Whilst discoveries of stegosaur bones have since been made in fossil hotspots like the Rocky Mountains in the United States, the first was found in Swindon in 1874.

6. The front legs of Stegosaurus were much shorter than their hind legs, making them slow with a maximum speed of just 4 miles per hour.

7. Stegosaurus had very small teeth that were perfect for slicing through plants and vegetation.

8. Despite its size, Stegosaurus had a very small brain that was about the size of a plum, implying that it wasn’t a particularly intelligent creature.

9. The reason for the extinction of Stegosaurus remains a mystery, with no known mass extinction event occurring during the Late Jurassic period.

10. Contrary to popular belief, Stegosaurus did not co-exist with the likes of Tyrannosaurus or Triceratops and in fact it became extinct 80 million years before these creatures existed.

We hope you have enjoyed our journey into the prehistoric world of the dinosaurs. Now that you are fully equipped with Stegosaurus trivia, why not visit our Iconic Specimens collection to find out more about the formidable Stegosaurus, mighty Tyrannosaurus and gargantuan Diplodocus.