Stegosaurus
Means: Roofed reptile
Say: STEG-oh-SAWR-us
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Length:
Height:
Weight:
Diet:
Time period:
Fossils found:
Robot size: |
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30 feet
10 feet
6 tons
Soft plants
Late Jurassic period, 156 million to 144 million years ago
Western United States (Wyoming, Utah, Colorado)
one-half actual size |
MYSTERY OF THE PLATES
The plates of the stegosaurus were large but thin and blunt, giving little defense.
The plates may have had blood flowing through them. The plates may have blood
flowing through them to help heat and cool the dinosaur's body. Like an elephant's
ears, the plates may have served as an air conditioner in a light breeze
and a solar panel in sunshine.
SHARP SPIKES
The slow and cumbersome stegosaurus may have swung its spiked tail for protection.
ANIMALS TODAY THAT WARM AND COOL THEMSELVES
Elephants fan their ears (cooling)
Vultures spread their wings (warming)
Reptiles bask in the sun (warming)
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