AboutDavid Prus Expertise I can answer any general questions about dinosaurs and on prehistoric mammals in the Cenozoic. I also know a bit about the media's various depictions of dinosaurs and their inaccuracies. I don't know much about "microfauna"-small animals, or about Paleozoic besides some knowledge about Permian animals. Plants are right out, I'm afraid.
Experience I have been interested in dinosaurs for most of my life, own a large collection of scientific papers and books on the subject, and am a member of the Field Museum in Chicago.
Education/Credentials I am in college, but studied biology and geology both in high school and as a personal effort.
Expert: David Prus Date: 1/14/2008 Subject: ankylosaurus
Question hi-i wish to ask some questions.
As i am interested in dinosaurs 2 and have quite some books on them from past and present i noticed that the most reconstructed recent ankylosaurs has been reduced in size only in 1 encyclopedia.I though it was the largest ankylosaur but the reconstruction has it at only 4ft high -hip height and about 6.2m long. Now i though it was the widest but the reconstruction shows it very slender and in my opionon it doesnt lookk correct. can you confirm this? Many top dinosaur encyclopedias state that it is up too 10m long and 2.4 ft wide but i did have this problem with triceratops as well.what is the official statement for ankylosaurus?
i read that that 2 elephant sized ankylosaurs were discovered but nothing else and i did search the web for more information. Are the scientists refering 2 a smaller ankylosaurus?
thanks
Answer Ankylosaurus, due to the quality of the specimens, has been poorly reconstructed. Try to look up papers and illustrations by Ken Carpenter. Recently, he reconstructed and reevaluated the fossil, and came up with a smaller, narrower size. The two elephant-sized ankylosaurs were nodosaurs found in Utah by Jim Kirkland.The reports said larger than Ankylosaurus, but lived around 20 million years before. Look up "Utah Ankylosaur" for more, and "Gastonia" for its kin.
