Denversaurus
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Name Meaning | “Denver lizard” |
| Location | United States (S. Dakota, Wyoming) |
| Time Period | c. 66 million years ago (Late Cretaceous) |
| Length | 20 ft (6 m) |
| Weight | 3.5 tons (3,175 kg) |
| Locomotion | Quadruped |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Described | 1988 (Bakker) |
| Geological Formation(s) | Hell Creek, Lance |
| Valid Species | Denversaurus schlessmani (type) |
Phylogeny: Dinosauria > Ornithischia > Genasauria > Thyreophora > Thyreophoroidea > Eurypoda > Ankylosauria > Nodosauridae > Panoplosaurini
Overview: Sharing the same environment as the infamous Tyrannosaurus, Denversaurus was lucky to have such extensive armor. This dermal armor, formed out of rows of osteoderms, grew along its neck, sides, back, and tail. Some were smaller, oval-shaped scutes, others around its neck and shoulders were often significantly larger. Denversaurus, like other ankylosaurs, wasn’t armored on its underbelly, however. It would’ve been vulnerable if flipped over, which was certainly doable for an adult Tyrannosaurus. Smaller predators like Acheroraptor were no real threat to Denversaurus, however, at least when this animal reached its adult size. Denversaurus grew to be about six or so meters in length, making it decently large by ankylosaur standards. Scientists specifically classify it in the family Nodosauridae, within the tribe Panoplosaurini. Denversaurus was closely related to taxa like Edmontonia and Panoplosaurus itself. The tribe flourished in the latter part of the Cretaceous.
Fossils now referred to Denversaurus were first discovered in South Dakota back in the mid-1980’s, within the famous Hell Creek Formation, making it among the last of the non-avian dinosaurs. The bones were originally referred to its relative Edmontonia, but paleontologist Robert T. Bakker saw it as a distinct genus, describing Denversaurus as such in 1988. Its name honors the city of Denver, Colorado, where the fossils were stored at that time. Other paleontologists questioned the validity of Denversaurus as its own genus, but most recent studies seem to support it. Denversaurus shared a lot in common with Edmontonia. The two were slender-snouted, low-browsing ankylosaurs. Like its relative, Denversaurus probably possessed a large set of shoulder spines, though it likely lacked a bony club on its tail, as was common for nodosaurids. Most confirmed fossils of Denversaurus include skull material and pieces of its dermal armor.