Explore the world of Ankylosauria, the most heavily armored dinosaurs, in this 44-minute lecture. Delve into the evolutionary history of these fascinating creatures, their place in the dinosaur family tree, and the development of their unique anti-predator strategies. Examine the characteristics of Eurypoda and the distinctions between Nodosauridae and Ankylosauridae families. Investigate fossil evidence to understand their feeding habits, brain structure, and locomotion. Gain insights into the various types of armor and defensive adaptations that made these dinosaurs formidable opponents to predators. Discover where Ankylosaur fossils are found and learn about intriguing phenomena such as bloating in fossil preservation.
Overview
Syllabus
Thyreophorans: Ankylosauria
Our place in the Dinosaur tree
Thyreophorans: The Armor-Bearers
Scutellosaurus sp.
Anti-predator strategies
Beyond the armor
Eurypoda: Ankylosauria
Where do we find them?
Bloating
No love lost
Back to the tree
Nodosauridae
Ankylosauridae
Feeding and Food
What do the fossils say?
Brains, or lack thereof
Locomotion
And of course the armor
Taught by
Thomas Evans
