Kentrosaurus

Name meaning:

Spiked lizard

Period of life:

152 mya

Period:

Jurassic period

Habitat:

Tropical and subtropical forests

Taxonomy:

Stegosaurs

Countries:

Jurassic period Kentrosaurus | 3D Dinopedia

Rhamphorhynchus

Pterodactylus

Kentrosaurus ()

Kentrosaurus was an African relative of the famous Stegosaurus. This herbivorous dinosaur lived about 152 million years ago, in the Late Jurassic. Its homeland was the open woodlands and coastal forests of an ancient sea, in what is now Tanzania.

Here Kentrosaurus moved slowly through the vegetation, feeding on ferns, cycads, conifers, and ginkgo plants. Its small cheek teeth were well suited for grinding tough plant material. It may have been able to rear up on its hind legs, using its powerful tail for support, in order to reach higher branches.

Compared with Stegosaurus, Kentrosaurus was much smaller: its body length reached about 4–4.5 meters, and its weight ranged from 700 to 1,600 kilograms. Despite its more modest size, it looked imposing. Its back, shoulders, and neck were covered with narrow bony plates and long sharp spikes. This natural «armor» provided reliable defense against predators and may also have helped regulate body temperature by releasing excess heat under the hot African sun.

Although Kentrosaurus was slow-moving and seemed clumsy, it would have been a mistake to underestimate it. Its tail, armed with long spikes, was a formidable weapon: a strike could reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. A single accurate swing was enough to drive off even the boldest predator.

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