Thyreosaurus

Taxa Thyreosaurus

Skeletal diagram of Thyreosaurus atlasicus showing known fossil material of the holotype specimen (HIIUC-BN00). The exact positions of the vertebrae are unknown. The ribs are likely from different sides of the body but are shown here on a single side for clarity. Scale bar=1 m. Note: While Thyreosaurus can be reconstructed as a dacentrurine stegosaur with reasonable confidence, the structure and arrangement of its unusual osteoderms are much less certain. Traditional stegosaur plates and spikes were not found in association with the holotype. Rather, several unusual osteoderms were found that appear to have rested flat against the animal's body. It is unclear how this would have appeared in life, or if Thyreosaurus also had the plates and spikes normally found with related taxa. They are indicated here (to scale) outside of the silhouette. Key  =Holotype (HIIUC-BN00)  =Unknown References "A new stegosaurian dinosaur (Ornithischia: Thyreophora) with a remarkable dermal armour from the Middle Jurassic of North Africa" "A new long-necked 'sauropod-mimic' stegosaur and the evolution of the plated dinosaurs" "Dacentrurine stegosaurs (Dinosauria): A new specimen of Miragaia longicollum from the Late Jurassic of Portugal resolves taxonomical validity and shows the occurrence of the clade in North America" "Preparation techniques applied to a stegosaurian dinosaur from Portugal" Dacentrurus skeletal by Dan Folkes Miragaia skeletal by Ashley Patch