Ankylosauria

Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs that originate of the clade Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms, similar to turtles. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. They are known to have first appeared in North Africa during the Middle Jurassic, and persisted until the end of the Late Cretaceous. The two main families of ankylosaurians, Nodosauridae and Ankylosauridae primarily originated from the Northern Hemisphere. The more basal Parankylosauria originated from southern Gondwana during the Cretaceous period, though it has been suggested that this group is a separate lineage of thyreophorans outside both Ankylosauria and Stegosauria.

Ankylosauria

Etemenanki3 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikipedia/Commons. May be a photograph of a specimen, or an artist’s reconstruction — an interpretation of a skeleton, since colour and soft tissue are almost never preserved.

On record

Recorded, not inferred
Also called
ankylosaurPBDB
Sits inside
EurypodaPBDB
Diet
herbivorePBDB, for Ornithischia
Life habit
ground dwelling, gregariousPBDB, for Ornithischia
Motility
actively mobilePBDB, for Ornithischia
Environment
terrestrialPBDB, for Ornithischia

Time the record covers

At least 112 million years on record.

The record covers at least 184.2 Mya to 72.2 Mya. No occurrence read is dated outside 199.5 Mya to 66 Mya.

Late Triassic — about 0 of 829 occurrencesEarly Jurassic — about 1 of 829 occurrencesEarly JurassicMiddle Jurassic — about 8 of 829 occurrencesMiddle JurassicLate Jurassic — about 24 of 829 occurrencesLate JurassicEarly Cretaceous — about 191 of 829 occurrencesEarly CretaceousLate Cretaceous — about 606 of 829 occurrencesLate CretaceousPaleocene — about 0 of 829 occurrences202–198 Mya — about 0.1 occurrences198–193 Mya — about 0.3 occurrences193–188 Mya — about 0.3 occurrences188–184 Mya — about 0.3 occurrences174–170 Mya — about 0.5 occurrences170–165 Mya — about 4 occurrences165–161 Mya — about 4 occurrences161–156 Mya — about 2 occurrences156–151 Mya — about 6 occurrences151–147 Mya — about 8 occurrences147–142 Mya — about 9 occurrences142–137 Mya — about 12 occurrences137–133 Mya — about 21 occurrences133–128 Mya — about 7 occurrences128–123 Mya — about 16 occurrences123–119 Mya — about 25 occurrences119–114 Mya — about 19 occurrences114–110 Mya — about 27 occurrences110–105 Mya — about 26 occurrences105–100 Mya — about 39 occurrences100–96 Mya — about 36 occurrences96–91 Mya — about 32 occurrences91–86 Mya — about 22 occurrences86–82 Mya — about 73 occurrences82–77 Mya — about 136 occurrences77–73 Mya — about 136 occurrences73–68 Mya — about 119 occurrences68–63 Mya — about 50 occurrences184.2 Mya72.2 Mya202 Mya63 Mya

829 occurrences of Ankylosauria on record, most of them in the Late Cretaceous. Bar height is expected occurrences, not a count: each fossil is spread across the span it is dated to, so a tall narrow bar means tight dating and a low wide one means loose.

When

829 occurrences

These are dates about fossils, not the animal: the record can only begin after it arose and end before it died out, so either end may reach further. Shares are expected occurrences: a fossil dated to a span is counted partly in each period it straddles. More on what this infers.

Found in

211 formations

Dinosaur Park — 50.73°N, 111.53°WDinosaur Park — 49.12°N, 110.47°WDinosaur Park — 50.82°N, 111.57°WDinosaur Park — 50.78°N, 111.50°WDinosaur Park — 50.75°N, 111.40°WDinosaur Park — 50.78°N, 111.33°WDinosaur Park — 50.40°N, 111.10°WDinosaur Park — 50.73°N, 111.43°WDinosaur Park — 50.74°N, 111.56°WDinosaur Park — 51.44°N, 110.39°WDinosaur Park — 51.47°N, 110.39°WDinosaur Park — 50.73°N, 111.30°WDinosaur Park — 49.04°N, 110.37°WDinosaur Park — 49.22°N, 110.64°WDinosaur Park — 50.56°N, 111.46°WDinosaur Park — 50.68°N, 108.09°WCloverly — 45.49°N, 108.52°WCloverly — 44.54°N, 108.01°WCloverly — 45.44°N, 108.08°WCloverly — 45.42°N, 108.18°WCloverly — 45.12°N, 108.71°WCloverly — 45.36°N, 108.81°WCloverly — 44.69°N, 108.24°WCloverly — 44.98°N, 108.32°WCloverly — 45.45°N, 108.10°WCloverly — 45.38°N, 108.29°WCloverly — 45.41°N, 108.04°WCloverly — 46.32°N, 109.71°WCloverly — 45.26°N, 108.41°WCloverly — 44.51°N, 107.90°WCloverly — 44.50°N, 107.82°WCloverly — 45.19°N, 108.80°WCloverly — 45.33°N, 108.81°WOldman — 50.75°N, 111.51°WOldman — 49.10°N, 110.94°WOldman — 49.08°N, 110.84°WOldman — 49.08°N, 110.68°WOldman — 49.16°N, 110.72°WOldman — 50.83°N, 111.32°WOldman — 50.73°N, 110.08°WOldman — 50.78°N, 110.50°WOldman — 50.90°N, 111.80°WOldman — 50.60°N, 111.62°WOldman — 49.28°N, 112.20°WDjadokhta — 44.16°N, 103.69°EDjadokhta — 43.66°N, 100.90°EDjadokhta — 44.26°N, 103.30°EDjadokhta — 44.13°N, 103.56°EDjadokhta — 44.23°N, 103.30°EDjadokhta — 44.18°N, 102.78°EDjadokhta — 44.15°N, 103.72°EDjadokhta — 44.05°N, 102.82°EDjadokhta — 44.00°N, 104.00°EDjadokhta — 44.09°N, 102.91°EDjadokhta — 44.52°N, 103.15°ECedar Mountain — 38.83°N, 109.57°WCedar Mountain — 38.72°N, 109.69°WCedar Mountain — 39.21°N, 111.02°WCedar Mountain — 39.16°N, 110.86°WCedar Mountain — 38.81°N, 109.76°WCedar Mountain — 38.76°N, 109.74°WCedar Mountain — 39.18°N, 110.11°WCedar Mountain — 38.91°N, 110.10°WCedar Mountain — 38.62°N, 110.67°WCedar Mountain — 38.73°N, 109.59°WCedar Mountain — 38.73°N, 109.50°WCedar Mountain — 38.85°N, 109.56°WCedar Mountain — 40.52°N, 109.52°WCedar Mountain — 38.90°N, 110.33°WNemegt — 43.59°N, 100.45°ENemegt — 43.60°N, 100.45°ENemegt — 43.49°N, 101.28°ENemegt — 43.58°N, 107.78°ENemegt — 43.87°N, 100.02°ENemegt — 43.82°N, 99.98°ENemegt — 43.87°N, 100.13°ENemegt — 43.47°N, 99.83°ENemegt — 43.48°N, 100.36°ENemegt — 43.86°N, 100.23°ENemegt — 43.32°N, 99.83°ENemegt — 43.99°N, 101.28°ETwo Medicine — 48.91°N, 112.64°WTwo Medicine — 48.63°N, 113.75°WTwo Medicine — 48.96°N, 112.66°WTwo Medicine — 48.65°N, 112.97°WTwo Medicine — 48.65°N, 112.35°WTwo Medicine — 48.49°N, 112.47°WTwo Medicine — 48.50°N, 112.68°WTwo Medicine — 48.48°N, 112.35°WBaynshire — 43.94°N, 101.33°EBaynshire — 43.14°N, 107.52°EBaynshire — 44.48°N, 110.03°EBaynshire — 44.34°N, 109.86°EBaynshire — 44.35°N, 109.35°EBaynshire — 45.12°N, 110.84°EBaynshire — 44.41°N, 109.84°EBaynshire — 43.56°N, 107.91°EBaynshire — 44.18°N, 102.79°EBaynshire — 43.47°N, 99.83°EBaynshire — 44.30°N, 109.20°EHorseshoe Canyon — 51.63°N, 112.93°WHorseshoe Canyon — 51.79°N, 113.01°WHorseshoe Canyon — 51.69°N, 112.91°WHorseshoe Canyon — 52.00°N, 112.88°WHorseshoe Canyon — 51.75°N, 112.96°WHorseshoe Canyon — 51.46°N, 112.67°WHorseshoe Canyon — 51.50°N, 112.78°WHorseshoe Canyon — 50.83°N, 111.60°WHorseshoe Canyon — 50.70°N, 112.98°WHorseshoe Canyon — 51.86°N, 113.01°WHorseshoe Canyon — 53.25°N, 113.83°WHorseshoe Canyon — 51.54°N, 112.88°WOjo Alamo — 36.17°N, 107.96°WOjo Alamo — 36.31°N, 108.03°WOjo Alamo — 36.24°N, 108.89°WOjo Alamo — 36.34°N, 108.10°WOjo Alamo — 36.20°N, 108.10°WKirtland — 36.27°N, 108.17°WKirtland — 36.33°N, 108.08°WKirtland — 36.15°N, 107.93°WKirtland — 36.51°N, 108.32°WHell Creek — 47.64°N, 106.57°WHell Creek — 47.68°N, 106.43°WHell Creek — 47.57°N, 107.10°WHell Creek — 45.55°N, 105.11°WHell Creek — 47.55°N, 107.10°WHell Creek — 47.07°N, 106.92°WHell Creek — 46.90°N, 101.50°WHell Creek — 47.80°N, 106.10°WHell Creek — 47.61°N, 106.90°WHell Creek — 45.50°N, 103.10°WHell Creek — 45.00°N, 103.19°WMorrison — 39.24°N, 109.00°WMorrison — 38.85°N, 108.48°WMorrison — 38.58°N, 108.40°WMorrison — 38.54°N, 105.21°WMorrison — 41.97°N, 106.29°WMorrison — 41.98°N, 106.14°WMorrison — 41.89°N, 106.00°WMorrison — 42.20°N, 105.86°WMorrison — 39.32°N, 110.69°WMorrison — 41.88°N, 105.89°WMorrison — 35.20°N, 107.13°WMorrison — 38.25°N, 110.81°WAguja — 29.32°N, 103.52°WAguja — 29.20°N, 103.55°WAguja — 29.16°N, 103.16°WAguja — 29.17°N, 103.35°WAguja — 29.29°N, 103.61°WAguja — 29.69°N, 103.68°WAguja — 29.51°N, 103.50°WJudith River — 47.81°N, 109.59°WJudith River — 48.93°N, 110.58°WJudith River — 46.46°N, 109.41°WJudith River — 46.10°N, 109.10°WJudith River — 47.72°N, 109.64°WJudith River — 43.64°N, 109.35°WJudith River — 48.57°N, 109.73°WBaruungoyot — 43.49°N, 101.13°EBaruungoyot — 43.32°N, 99.83°EBaruungoyot — 43.30°N, 99.60°EBaruungoyot — 44.44°N, 109.78°EBaruungoyot — 42.51°N, 105.25°EBaruungoyot — 43.49°N, 99.83°EWessex — 50.62°N, 1.38°WWessex — 51.10°N, 0.45°WWessex — 50.65°N, 1.16°WWessex — 50.66°N, 1.48°WWessex — 50.67°N, 1.13°WLance — 41.57°N, 108.67°WLance — 43.44°N, 104.41°WLance — 43.12°N, 104.64°WLance — 45.67°N, 101.48°WLance — 43.28°N, 104.38°WLance — 43.49°N, 104.46°WBissekty — 42.12°N, 62.66°EBissekty — 42.54°N, 63.30°EBissekty — 42.02°N, 63.30°EBissekty — 41.68°N, 63.82°EBissekty — 40.70°N, 72.60°EFerris — 41.80°N, 107.00°WFerris — 41.94°N, 106.89°WFerris — 41.95°N, 106.89°WKaiparowits — 37.47°N, 111.70°WKaiparowits — 37.69°N, 111.45°WKaiparowits — 37.46°N, 111.76°WKaiparowits — 37.59°N, 111.80°WKaiparowits — 37.63°N, 111.86°WKaiparowits — 37.40°N, 111.20°WForemost — 50.07°N, 111.14°WForemost — 49.13°N, 110.87°WForemost — 49.60°N, 111.00°WAguja — 28.94°N, 103.37°WAguja — 28.92°N, 103.34°WAguja — 29.00°N, 103.82°WWest Melbury Marly Chalk — 51.08°N, 1.18°EWest Melbury Marly Chalk — 52.15°N, 0.05°E

Loading coastlines…

The named rock units Ankylosauria has been recovered from, largest first. Drawn where the rock is now, not where it formed. 187 further formations hold fewer occurrences each and are not listed. 56 occurrences have no formation on record, which is common for older literature.

Ankylosauria and its relatives

Late Cretaceous

Where Ankylosauria and its relatives were recorded in the Late Cretaceous.

Found in the same rock

1,148 taxa

The Paleobiology Database records 741 sites for Ankylosauria, and this reads 240 of them. The number is how many of those sites it was catalogued from too. The 24 sharing the most are listed.

This is not a list of everything alive at the time. It is only what has come out of the same ground as this animal and been written down.

Entered from

421 references

Each of the 829 occurrences read was entered from one of these publications, ordered by how many each accounts for. This is not a search for papers mentioning the name. 409 further references are not listed. Entries link to doi.org where the Paleobiology Database holds an identifier, and to its own record where it does not. Relayed as the Paleobiology Database holds them, not checked against what they resolve to.

Media and terms

Media content2

Picture of Ankylosauria

Credit
Etemenanki3
Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0
Commercial use
the licence allows it

Structured light scan

Licence
not stated by the source
Commercial use
cannot be read from the licence given — check the record
Specimen
Ankylosauria indet. · dmnh:epv:140916

Smithsonian Open Access was not reached for this taxon, so this list is what the others held rather than everything there is.

The description on this site

Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0

This is what the site found, which is not the same as what exists.

Keep going

What may have been alongside itEurypoda through timeFormations of the Late CretaceousThe world it lived on

Occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database, CC BY 4.0. (Osborn 1923)