What characteristics are unique to Thyreophora?
Thyreophorans are characterized by the presence of body armor lined up in longitudinal rows along the body. Primitive forms had simple, low, keeled scutes or osteoderms, whereas more derived forms developed more elaborate structures including spikes and plates.
Where was Thyreophora found?
Lesothosaurus of the Early Jurassic of southern Africa has sometimes been found to be the oldest and most primitive known thyreophoran in several recent new analyses.
What specialized characteristics do Ankylosaurids exhibit?
Ankylosaurs are characterized by forelimbs longer than hind limbs, and a narrow rib cage.
Which of the following is a difference between nodosaurs and ankylosaurs?
Nodosaurs differ from ankylosaurs in having a long, tapering tail rather than the ankylosaurs’ club-like tail. Several types of nodosaurs are also known to have premaxillary teeth (meaning teeth at the very front of their upper jaws), a trait that is absent in all known species of ankylosaurs.
Which dinosaur genus is a good example of a Thyreophora?
The Thyreophora consist mainly of the well-known Stegosauria, the plated dinosaurs, and Ankylosauria, the armoured dinosaurs, as well as their more basal relatives, including Scutellosaurus and Scelidosaurus.
What did thyreophorans evolve from?
The primitive thyreophorans suggest an evolutionary sequence from gracile, small, bipedal creatures like Scutellosaurus to larger, quadrupedal dinosaurs like Scelidosaurus (see Figures II. 4 and II.
Is a diplodocus a Thyreophora?
They were herbivores (plant eaters) and included classic dinosaurs such as the Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus. Thyreophora – The name Thyreophora means ‘shield bearers’ and this group includes armored dinosaurs such as the Stegosaurus and Ankylosaurus.
What is the main difference between the Nodosaurus and Ankylosaurus?
The most conspicuous difference between the two groups is the presence of a massive bony club at the end of the tail in the advanced ankylosaurs; no such tail structure is present in the nodosaurs.
How do Ankylosaurids differ from Nodosaurids?
Ankylosaurids differed from the nodosaurids in having bony clubs at the end of their tails, domed snouts in front of the eyes, and large squamosal plates projecting from the top and bottom of each side of the skull, all of which nodosaurids lacked.
What type of dinosaur has 500 teeth?
Nigersaurus
Nigersaurus had a delicate skull and an extremely wide mouth lined with teeth especially adapted for browsing plants close to the ground. This bizarre, long-necked dinosaur is characterized by its unusually broad, straight-edged muzzle tipped with more than 500 replaceable teeth.
Which is the most primitive thyreophoran in the world?
Lesothosaurus of the Early Jurassic of southern Africa has sometimes been found to be the oldest and most primitive known thyreophoran in several recent new analyses. If so, it is united with the later thyreophorans on various skeletal traits that are outside the scope of this course.
What kind of armor plates do thyreophorans have?
•There are characterized by the presence of osteoderms (armor plates) in their skin. Different clades of thyreophorans express these osteoderms in different patterns. •Beyond a few basal taxa, thyreophorans are divided into the plated Stegosauria and the tank-like Ankylosauria.
What kind of lizards are derived from thyreophorans?
The derived thyreophorans are the plated Stegosauria (shingled lizards) and the heavily armored Ankylosauria (fused lizards). Both clades are present by the Middle Jurassic. There are several Early Jurassic taxa which fall outside either of the two advanced clades.