The Mesozoic era is still a mystery to us. Despite the large number of new discoveries, scientists can only speculate about the structure of the world of that time. Nevertheless, dinosaurs with spikes on their backs and many other features have already become familiar to us creatures that lived in the Mesozoic era.
Who are they?
"Dinosaur" from Greek translates as "terrible lizard." This superorder of terrestrial vertebrates has lived on our planet for a long 160 million years. All this time they developed and changed, starting from the Triassic and ending with the Cretaceous.
Creatures began to disappear during the period of the "great mass extinction." Over the entire existence of research, the remains of these animals were found on all continents. Now more than 500 genera and 1000 species are already known. Paleontologists now divide all the remains into poultry and lizardotazovyh.
Disputes
Dinosaurs with spikes on their backs and their other species have always been in doubt. Many scientists still believe that a third of the open species did not exist at all. There is an assumption that scientists simply confused the found lizards with those already described due to different stages of development.
As a result, two opposing camps formed in the field of paleontology: some scientists continue to add new found creatures to the species and subspecies, while others often combine the already described dinosaurs into one species due to the assumption of a different age stage.
Special view
But so far there is no exact evidence in the direction of one or the second camp, we are exploring dinosaurs with spikes on the back and tail. Throughout the history of paleontology, scientists have managed to find several of these species.
There are among them very similar to each other, there are those that are radically different from each other, and only the spikes remain the connecting link. Accurately determining the number of such dinosaurs is now extremely difficult, since paleontologists themselves can not collectively deal with species and subspecies. But there are among them the main genera in which similar creatures would be found:
- stegosaurs;
- centrosaurs;
- ankylosaurs;
- amargasaurs;
- pachyrinosaurs.
But to begin the story of dinosaurs with spikes on their backs is a beginner.
Recent discovery
In February 2019, paleontologists worked in the Argentinean Patagonia, namely in the province of Neuquen. Presumably they found the remains of a new species of dinosaurs. There is a theory that the creature belonged to herbivores, and it has already received the name Bajadasaurus pronuspinax.
The newcomer's feature is its huge spikes on its back. The dinosaur had an incredibly sharp "weapon", which was protected by a keratin shell. Due to this, it remained safe, which means it could serve as an excellent tool for attack.
Scientists have already suggested that the spikes could more clearly express the sexual attractiveness of males, and perhaps they served as support for the spinal growth. It was also said that due to such an instrument creatures could maintain normal body temperature.
Since it is impossible to determine exactly how the creatures survived and multiplied, scientists put forward assumptions about the eyes of a dinosaur. They were located closer to the top of the skull, as the animals fed on grass, which grew closer to the ground.
This dinosaur with spikes on its back is still only a beginner. But there are other animals that have been known for a long time and are outstanding representatives of this unusual superorder.
Stegosaurs
These creatures were large. Their main feature was a small head and a dull beak. There was also a difference between the hind and forelimbs: the hind legs were thicker and slightly larger.
Rigid plates were located on the back of the stegosaurs. They grew from the neck to the tip of the tail. Each plate had a bone spike. Tagomimers were also a feature of this species of creatures. This is another type of spikes that grew from the tip of the tail of a dinosaur.
The spikes themselves were curved, which, by the way, was what distinguished them from the centrosaurs. Stegosaurus supposedly had a green and yellow color, and dark green stripes could be found throughout the body. The plates themselves did not have a certain color, because they were translucent, but their rim was painted in a bluish-green hue.
Centrosaurs
This is another name for dinosaurs with spikes on their backs. This species is very similar to stegosaurs, but presumably differs by the period of existence, although it also refers to the Late Jurassic period.
These creatures moved on four limbs, perhaps they could walk on their hind legs to get food on tall trees. The centrosaurs also have a small head.
Along the entire vertebra, from head to tail, two rows of bone formations. Scientists believe that the thorns served this time as protection against predators. The difference between this creature and the stegosaurus is that from the neck to the tail, the plates turn into sharp spikes.
Ankylosaurs
What is the name of the dinosaur with spikes on its back? Another species is the ankylosaurus, which lived in the Mesozoic era. It differs significantly from previous species. His body was covered with armor, and at the end of the tail there was a huge bone cone.
This is a large creature that moved on massive four legs. There is an assumption that the size of the dinosaur was comparable to a regular bus (at least the length).
The ankylosaurus received a lot of spines, which were located not only along the spine, but also along the entire back, starting from the head to the beginning of the tail. Now the creature is a bit like a turtle, because the shape of its body seemed slightly flattened.
There is a theory that a dinosaur could cope with even the most ardent predators with its bone mace. Feeling danger, the creature instantly turned into defense. He turned to the offender sideways and began to swing his main "weapon".
Amargasaurs
This is another herbivorous dinosaur with spikes on its back. He existed in the Cretaceous period. He moved on four legs, which seemed tiny compared to the body. He has a very long tail and neck, but an extremely small head.
This species of creatures is also special, somewhat reminiscent of the one that was discovered in 2019. Along the entire vertebra from the head to the middle of the back, the amargasaur wore a series of spikes, 65 cm long. These growths formed a protective instrument, could form a sharp mane.
Found this dinosaur in Argentina, back in 1984. The skeleton turned out to be almost complete, so paleontologists managed to compose an extremely real image of the creature. It is known that its growth was about 2 meters, and its length was up to 10 meters.
Pachyrinosaurs
What is a dinosaur with spikes on its back called? Another such representative was the pachyrinosaurus. It existed in the Cretaceous period in North America. And it is radically different from previous species, although it can also somewhat resemble a turtle.
Sometimes this species is compared with therapists. Adult pachyrinosaurs had bony protrusions instead of horns in therapists.
These creatures acquired spikes on the back of their heads. They do not look as intimidating as those of the same amargasaurs, but still served as protective weapons from predators.
Other species
Of course, among all the dinosaurs found, you can also find representatives with spikes on their backs. But since the existence of many is in question, it makes no sense to consider them.
One way or another, spikes were often a protective mechanism of dinosaurs. They were especially developed among herbivorous creatures who had to hold defenses in front of predators. In addition, animals had other elements for protection: a large tail, horns, or shell.