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Nature

Stegosaurus

What is stegosaurus?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Name meaning roof lizard[4]
Period Late Jurassic[3]
Time range 159 million to 144 million years ago[3]
Region western North America[5]
Diet herbivorous[2]
Body plan four-legged armored dinosaur with back plates and tail spikes[3]

Stegosaurus was a genus of plant-eating armored dinosaur from the Late Jurassic, known for the large plates along its back and spikes on its tail. It lived in what is now western North America and was a four-legged dinosaur with a small brain.

Context

Stegosaurus is a genus of armored dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic, approximately 159 to 144 million years ago [3]. It was herbivorous and inhabited western North America [5]. The dinosaur is recognized for its large plates along the back and spikes on the tail [3]. Its name means "roof lizard" [4]. Stegosaurus was four-legged and had a small brain [1].

Documented claims

  • Stegosaurus had distinctive plates along its back. [1]
  • Its tail had spikes. [3]
  • It was a plant-eating dinosaur. [2]
  • It lived during the Late Jurassic. [3]
  • Stegosaurus is a genus, not a single species. [3]

Questions and answers

Why is Stegosaurus called the dumbest dinosaur?

Stegosaurus is often called the dumbest dinosaur because it had a very small brain relative to its body size [1].

Did Stegosaurus and T. rex exist at the same time?

No, Stegosaurus lived during the Late Jurassic, about 159 to 144 million years ago, while T. rex lived much later in the Cretaceous period [3].

What are three interesting facts about Stegosaurus?

Stegosaurus had plates along its back, spikes on its tail, and was a plant-eating dinosaur [3]. It lived in western North America during the Late Jurassic [5].

Sources

  1. Stegosaurus ungulates — nps.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Stegosaurus — kids.nationalgeographic.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. 10 Amazing facts about Stegosaurus — blog.paultonspark.co.uk (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Stegosaurus - Dinosaur Info - Enchanted Learning — enchantedlearning.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  5. Key Facts About Stegosaurus: The Iconic Armored Dinosaur — dinosaursrockprograms.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature