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Granddaddy of the armored dinosaurs
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Scutellosaurus, the most primitive armored dinosaur (at least the most primitive that actually has armor). Although it wasn't very big (maybe 5' in length...and most of that's tail!) it lead to big things.
Technical details: The skull is only known from a few scraps of the snout and the lower jaw, so most of it is based on other basal ornithischians. Lots of armor was preserved (304 pieces with the holotype alone!) but it wasn't articulated. I've followed the rules we see in thyreophoran armor in general, and in Scelidosaurus in particular, but ultimately it's still conjecture. Other than that the specimen is reasonably well known, and some of the missing bits are filled in by other specimens.
P.S. Armored dinosaurs are cool and all, but illustrating all that armor is...um...tedious would be the nicest way of saying it.
Technical details: The skull is only known from a few scraps of the snout and the lower jaw, so most of it is based on other basal ornithischians. Lots of armor was preserved (304 pieces with the holotype alone!) but it wasn't articulated. I've followed the rules we see in thyreophoran armor in general, and in Scelidosaurus in particular, but ultimately it's still conjecture. Other than that the specimen is reasonably well known, and some of the missing bits are filled in by other specimens.
P.S. Armored dinosaurs are cool and all, but illustrating all that armor is...um...tedious would be the nicest way of saying it.
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This is one of those dinosaurs that I feel is very underrated. The big armored dinosaurs like Stegosaurus and Ankylosaurus are great, but this guy, I feel, could use some recognition too.