The herbivore dinosaurs are a group of prehistoric animals that had a large and varied diet. They ranged from smaller creatures to large creatures, depending on the specific animal. These included Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus, Nodosaurus, Micropachycephalosaurus, and Ankylosaurus. Each type of herbivore dinosaur had its own unique appearance and behavior.
Ankylosaurus
Ankylosaurus was a herbivore dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period. It was one of the largest known ankylosaurids.
It weighed approximately 3.6 tons. Ankylosaurus was quadrupedal with a robust, broad body and a club-like tail. This armored dinosaur was protected by bony plates and scutes, shielding its eyes and making its body difficult for predators to attack.
The spiky knobs on Ankylosaurus’s tail were believed to have provided protection from a predator’s teeth. The smaller knobs may have been unable to exert enough force to break the bones of an opponent, but they could have crushed them.
The large fermentation chamber in the Ankylosaurus’s belly would have been important for producing gas. Also, the wideness of the ribcage suggests the presence of a digestive system for fermenting plant matter.
Ankylosaurus grazed on low-lying vegetation. Unlike most other herbivores, the Ankylosaurus had a narrow beak that allowed it to slice off the leaves of plants.
Aside from its huge club on its tail, Ankylosaurus had horned protuberances on its face. Small teeth, in the shape of leafy twigs, lined its mouth. These teeth were not used for grinding vegetation, but rather to cut it off.
Ankylosaurus is a member of the Ankylosauridae family, which includes Supersaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Triceratops, and Zuul crurivastator. Each of these giant herbivores had a different body plan, but they all inhabited North America.
Ankylosaurus is one of the last dinosaur species to appear before the great Cretaceous extinction event. Its discovery provides an intriguing look at how herbivores responded to a large, powerful predator.
There are only three major specimens of Ankylosaurus: a bone skeleton found in Montana, an intact fossil found in Alberta, and a skull found in the Hell Creek Formation of North Carolina.
Brachiosaurus
Brachiosaurus was a huge herbivore dinosaur that lived in the Jurassic period. It was one of the largest sauropods.
The name of the animal comes from Greek, meaning “arm lizard.” Brachiosaurus lived in the late Jurassic. They are thought to have lived in tropical regions. Their skeletons are found in several locations throughout the world, including Lindi, Tanzania.
Brachiosaurus was a herbivore that ate plants. Scientists estimate that it required 400 pounds of food each day. However, they don’t know exactly what kind of plant it ate. Generally, they suspect that it ate cycads and conifers.
Brachiosaurs were extremely large, with a neck that stretched up to 30 feet above the ground. This would allow them to reach the tops of tall trees to eat. In addition, they were built like gigantic giraffes.
These animals were very strong, and they defended themselves with claws. A Brachiosaurus adult could surround its young in order to defend them. When attacked, the creature used its claws to swipe its attacker.
Brachiosaurus had a short tail and a long neck. These two features were considered to be adaptations to grazing. But they were also seen as signs that Brachiosaurus was more of a giraffe than a carnivore.
Brachiosaurs also had a nasal opening above their eyes. This nasal opening is thought to be a result of the presence of air sacs in their bodies.
Brachiosaurs possessed large nostrils, indicating that they had a keen sense of smell. This may have been the reason why they tended to spend most of their time in the water.
Although the exact size of the animal is unknown, scientists believe that it may have weighed about 56 metric tons. This would be about the same as six elephants.
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus was a large herbivore dinosaur that lived 155 to 145 million years ago. It has been found in a variety of different places including the Kimmeridgian and Morrison Formations in the western United States.
Stegosaurus was an elongated quadruped with short forelimbs, long hindlimbs and a tiny head. The tail was shaped into a spiky spike.
It ate grasses and other low-growing plants. Most of its teeth were blunt, although it also had a ridged, pointed beak and a small mouth.
Stegosaurus had a weak bite. This herbivore had a small braincase, which was about the same size as the braincase of a dog. Some scientists believe that the stegosaurus had a second brain, which could have housed nerves and fatty tissue.
Fossils of the stegosaurus have been found in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States. Until the mid-20th century, scientists believed that the lizard was a biped.
The stegosaur lived alongside Apatosaurus and Allosaurus. They grazed on low-growing mosses and clover. However, some fossils show that the stegosaur also ate cyclads.
Although some researchers speculate that the stegosaurus’s plates were for thermoregulation purposes, other academics have argued that they were a decorative feature. Their arrangement is based on the arrangement of dorsal spines in iguanas.
Despite its large size, Stegosaurus was a gentle, peaceful creature. The stegosaur lived in family groups. Aside from eating grasses and plants, the stegosaur might have also used its tail for defense against predators.
The stegosaur had 17 flattened back plates. These plates were not attached to the skeleton, so they could easily be detached from the body after death. Academics suggest that these plates might have been used for display purposes or to help with territorial disputes.
Nodosaurus
Nodosaurus is a type of herbivore dinosaur that lived in North America during the early Cretaceous period. It had a long, clubless tail, and armored plates covering its body. This dinosaur may have fed on ferns, cycads, and soft plants.
Nodosaurus is related to Ankylosaurs. This type of herbivore dinosaurs had long, powerful jaws. They also had beaks that they could use to fight predators. However, most of them did not have teeth.
Nodosaurs are found in different locations around the world. There are many fossilized remains of these types of dinosaurs. Some of these animals were isolated and lived solitary lives. Others were part of a group that was overcome at the same time.
Nodosaurs were the first armored dinosaurs to live in North America. Their bones have been found in marine sediments from the Late Cretaceous age.
The most complete nodosaur specimens include dermal osteoderms and vertebrae. These fossils are the best-preserved dinosaur fossils.
Nodosaurus was a large, quadrupedal herbivore dinosaur. It was covered in thick bony shields and armor.
The skull of Nodosaurus was long and narrow. It had leaf-shaped teeth. Other features of the animal included a pointed snout and a long, clubless tail.
Nodosaurs were found in a variety of places in the United States. Several of them were found in the Black Belt counties of Alabama. Many of these nodosaurs had bones that were discovered in the Eutaw Formation.
In addition, Nodosaurs were also found in Alberta. A team of miners discovered a near-complete Nodosaurus skeleton in 2011.
Most nodosaurs were slow-moving herbivores. Silvisaurus, for instance, was a primitive nodosaur. Still, it had strong, well-developed hips and shoulders.
Although most nodosaurs had toothless beaks, some did have premaxillary teeth. These teeth were used to grind plant material.
Micropachycephalosaurus
Micropachycephalosaurus is a small ceratopsian dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous period. It was a herbivore and bipedal. Although it was a small dinosaur, it was a very fast animal.
Micropachycephalosaurus was discovered in the Shandong Province of China. In 1978, Dong Zhiming identified the fossil of the Micropachycephalosaurus. The specimen was found in a cliff near Laiyang, Shandong Province.
It was around 17 inches long. It had a white stripe running down its body. It was a herbivore, which ate plants. Like many herbivores, it had a row of tiny sharp teeth.
There is only one known specimen of the Micropachycephalosaurus. This specimen was reconstructed from a single incomplete fossil. The specimen had a skeleton that was complete except for the missing skull.
Although the specimen was not fully developed, it is a good example of the type of animals that inhabited the area. This herbivore relied on its speed for survival. During times of danger, the animal would go on all fours.
After a meteorite struck the area, the Micropachycephalosaurus became extinct. The only evidence that remains of the Micropachycephalosaurus are its teeth and skull. It is believed to have existed between 70 and 68 million years ago.
It is estimated that the Micropachycephalosaurus weighed 5 to 10 pounds. They lived in natural grasslands and woodlands. During breeding season, they laid around twenty-one eggs.
Micropachycephalosaurus may have been related to pachycephalosaurs, another small herbivore. But it is not certain. Some of the pachycephalosaurs, such as Archaeornithomimus, were larger. Another example of the Pachycephalosauridae was Gallimimus, which was a fast-moving dinosaur.
Until recently, Micropachycephalosaurus had been classified as a member of the Pachycephalosauridae family. However, recent findings have shown that the species is a basal genus of the Ceratopsia.