Stegosaurus had 17 plate-like protrusions that ran down its back and tail. At the end of its tail, it had 4 long spikes that were used in defense. It could swing its spiked tail at predatory dinosaurs like Allosaurus and Ceratosaurus. It walked on all fours for most of the time, but could also rear up on its back legs to reach higher leaves on trees if there were food shortages below. The purpose of the plates are not entirely known, but some think that its cold blood could have been heated up by the sun warming up the plates. Originally, they were thought to have been aligned in a single row, but now they are thought to have been in two separate rows, which would be better in absorbing the sun's heat, like solar power today. It had a very small head, and its brain was about the size of a walnut. It is one of the most popular dinosaurs, alongside Triceratops , Tyrannosaurus rex, and Brontosaurus.
Order: Dinosaur- Ornithischian- Thyreophora- Stegosaurus
Pronounciation: (steg-go-sore-us)
Name means: "plated lizard"
Length: 30 feet
Height: 14 feet