Thyreophora

Everyone's doing it because it's Megalosaurus's 200th Birthday so I'm doing it as well, one problem, I already shared a top 10 favourite Dinosaur list, and besides I've been wanting to make a remake of another post from 2021 and want to do something a bit more original than the other posts

This is my list of my favourite Dinosaur of each clade in Thyreophora and other Basal Ornithiscians, if a genus is included in multiple clades, I will only include the largest clade where it's still my favourite

Favourite Dinosaur: Parasaurolophus

Favourite Basal Ornithischian: Eocursor I guess

Favourite Heterodontosaurid: Heterodontosaurus

Favourite Basal Hetrodontosaurid: Echinodon I guess

Favourite Basal Genasaurian: only two options and I don't know the other guy so Lesothosaurus it is

Favourite Thyreophoran: Tarchia for now

Favourite Basal Thyreophoran: Scelidosaurus

Favourite Basal Ankylosaurian: Spicomellus

Favourite Parankylosaurian: Stegouros

Favourite Nodosaurid: Sauropelta

Favourite Basal Nodosaurid: Hylaeosaurus

Favourite Polacanthine: It's Gastonia, even if the copy pasta didn't exist it's still Gastonia

Favourite Panoplosaurin: Edmontonia

Favourite Struthiosaurin: Pawpawsaurus

Favourite Basal Ankylosaurid: Minmi for now but could possibly be taken over by Bissektepelta

Favourite Shamsosaurine: Never heard of this group, Gobisaurus I guess

Favourite Ankylosaurin: Lots of good ones but I'll go with Zuul

Favourite Stegosaurian: Miragaia for now

Favourite Basal Stegosaurian: Gigantspinosaurus

Favourite Huayangosaurid: Chungkingosaurus

Favourite Basal Stegosaurid: Tuojiangosaurus but Kentrosaurus is a close second

Favourite Stegosaurin: I can't decide, let's just say Hesperosaurus

That's it for now, next part (whenever that is) will be my favourite Marginocephalians and some basal Neornithischians

Note: This story of mine is quite old, so don't judge too harshly.

Ankylosaurus magniventris

Lived: 68-66 mya, U.S.

Size: 24 feet long, weigh 4.5 tonnes, over 6 feet tall

Family: Ankylosauridae

Advantages: can break bones, is bigger

Weaknesses: slower?

Edmontonia longiceps

Lived: 76-69 mya, Canada

Size: 22 feet long, weigh 3 tonnes, 6 feet tall

Family: Nodosauridae

Advantages: low spikes that can reach ankylosaurus’ weak spots

Weaknesses: smaller, less stable

MAY THE BEST DINOSAUR WIN!

It is the Late Cretaceous period in northern USA. During a time of drought, a lone female Edmontonia lumbers through a once lush forest that was destroyed by a wildfire the day before. The Edmontonia had lost her baby in a stampeding herd of Pachyrhinosaurus during the fire. Now, she is looking for food, but few plants survived the flames. Finally, she spots a patch of vegetation unharmed by the fire. She approaches and begins feeding.

Nearby, a bad tempered Ankylosaurus wanders through the ruined trees, also looking for food. She was lucky to have survived the flames and smoke. Irritably, she growls and scares off a pair of close by dakotaraptor that were feasting on some baby edmontosaurus. Then she grunts and continues.

Soon, she spots the patch of food and moves toward it. She snorts when she sees the Edmontonia already feeding. Driven by hunger, the ankylosaur makes a couple mock charges and low bellowing sounds at the nodosaur. The Edmontonia looks up and snorts at the ankylosaurus, wishing it would leave. The ankylosaur charges and uses her horns to butt the Edmontonia in the head. The nodosaur snorts angrily and tries to impale the ankylosaurus, but the latter backs up, lashing her tail ferociously. She turns and swings her tail, driving back her rival.

The Edmontonia is beginning to get irritant as well. She bellows at the ankylosaur and paces back and forth, preparing for her larger enemy to attack. The ankylosaurus advances, swinging her tail and snorting furiously. The Edmontonia points one of her spikes at the ankylosaur and prepares to defend herself. The ankylosaurus tries to club the nodosaur with her tail, but the edmontonia dodges. The ankylosaur’s rival charges at the former’s flank. The ankylosaurus sidesteps and slams into the nodosaur, making sure to evade her spikes. The edmontonia gets shoved into a tree, and the scorched trunk breaks and collapses on the nodosaur, who throws it off herself. The brawl continues.

The two thyreophorans circle each other, each waiting for the other to strike. The ankylosaurus lashes its tail, enraged, and charges. She lashes out with her tail and hits the edmontonia’s hip. The nodosaur stumbles, and the ankylosaur takes the opportunity to get a direct hit on the edmontonia’s shoulder, cracking the latter’s shoulder plate. The edmontonia groans in pain and uses the little strength she has left to slam into the ankylosaurus’ armor with her shoulder spike, breaking off an osteoderm and damaging the layer of collagen fiber. The ankylosaurus slams against the nodosaur and swings her tail again, this time only damaging a few of the edmontonia’s osteoderms.

The edmontonia backs up, groaning in pain. The ankylosaurus sees this as a submission and begins mvoing toward the patch of vegetation. But the nodosaur is really preparing to charge. The edmontonia bellows and advances. The ankylosaurus turns to defend but it’s too late. The edmontonia severely injures the ankylosaur impaling her in the shoulder, breaking an artery. The ankylosaurus collapses as groans in pain and swings her tail, breaking another osteoderm. The nodosaur finishes the fight with a stab to stomach. The ankylosaurus convulses and goes limp, never to see the light of another day.

One hour later, the nodosaurus finishes the plants and moves on, leaving the dead body of the ankylosaurus behind to be scavenged upon by dakotaraptor. The edmontonia though has a broken leg and may not survive the drought…

Edmontonia wins: 6/10

Biggest sauropod:

By weight- Maraapunisaurus fragilimus

By length- Barosaurus lentus

Biggest theropod:

By weight- Tyrannosaurus rex

By length- Spinosaurus aegyptiacus

Biggest ornithopod:

By weight- Shantungosaurus giganteus

By length- Shantungosaurus giganteus

Biggest marginocephalian:

By weight- Triceratops horridus

By length- Eotriceratops xerinsularis

Biggest thyreophoran:

By weight- Ankylosaurus magniventris

By length- Stegosaurus ungulatus

Ornithomimus velox

Classification

Name Meaning Swift Bird Mimic

Diet Herbivore

Description Ostrich-like dinosaurs with duck-bills

Family Ornithomimidae

Physiology

Attributes Ostrich-like body; duck-bills; long necks; very fast

Height 2.2 m (7.21 ft)

Length 4.15 m (13.61 ft)

Weight 167 kg (370 lb)

Archaeopteryx lithographica

Classification

Name Meaning Lithographic Old Wing

Diet Carnivore

Description A bird-like dinosaur

Family Archaeopterygidae

Physiology

Attributes Bird-like attributes; feathers

Height 0.5 metres (1.6 ft)

Length 500 mm (20")

Wingspan 60 cm (2 ft)

Weight 1 kg (2.2 lb)

Tyrannosaurus rex

Classification

Name Meaning Tyrant Lizard King

Diet Carnivore

Description Gigantic predatory dinosaur with tiny arms, powerful jaws with bone-crushing teeth, and large muscular legs

Family Tyrannosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Large body with a massive head; two small arms (each one ending in two clawed fingers); powerful jaws; long, muscular legs; bone-crushing teeth; long, heavy tail; quick speed; tremendous strength

Height 6.19 m (20.30 ft)

Length 15.34 m (50.32 ft)

Weight 7.5 t (16,534 lb)

Allosaurus fragilis

Classification

Name Meaning Fragile Different Lizard

Diet Carnivore

Description Large predatory dinosaur with red crests over its eyes and three-fingered hands with sharp claws

Family Allosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Large streamlined shape for killing dinosaurs; red crests over eyes; sharp teeth; three-fingered hands with sharp claws

Height 5.0 m (16.5 ft)

Length 12.5–14.0 m (40–45.93 ft)

Weight 5 t (11,023 lb)

Compsognathus longipes

Classification

Name Meaning Long-Footed Dainty Jaws

Diet Carnivore/Insectivore

Description Small, chicken-sized dinosaur weight as Smurfette with a red track suit

Family Compsognathidae

Physiology

Attributes Small-size; agile,

Height 30.5 cm (1 feet)

Length 1 m (3.28 ft)

Weight 3.5 kg (7.7 lb)

Apatosaurus ajax

Classification

Name Meaning Ajax's Deceptive Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Giant sauropod dinosaurs similar in appearance to Diplodocus

Family Diplodocidae

Physiology

Attributes A long horizontal neck with a small head; a small hump; long whiplike tail; large pillar-like legs

Height 5.6 m (18.37 ft)

Length 21.4 m (70.20 ft)

Weight 30 t (66,138 lb)

Diplodocus hallorum

Classification

Name Meaning Hallorum's Double Beam

Diet Herbivore

Description Immensely long sauropod with a long whip-like tail and Iguana-like spines

Family Diplodocidae

Physiology

Attributes Long neck; long tail; iguana-like spikes on back; longest sauropod dinosaur

Height 5.93 m (19.45 ft)

Length 33–33.5 m (108–110 ft)

Weight 25 t (55,115 lb)

Brachiosaurus altithorax

Classification

Name Meaning Arm Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Enormous sauropod with a vertical neck and nasal crest that feeds high in trees

Family Brachiosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Large size; long, vertical neck; nasal crest

Height 16.0 m (52.2 ft)

Length 23.04 m (75.59 ft)

Weight 70 t (154,324 lb)

Supersaurus vivianae

Classification

Name Meaning Vivian's Super Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Giant sauropod dinosaurs similar in appearance to Diplodocus

Family Diplodocidae

Physiology

Attributes Long neck; long tail; iguana-like spikes on back; longest sauropod dinosaur similar to Diplodocus

Height 15 m (50 ft)

Length 32–35 m (105–115 ft)

Weight 40 t (80,000 lbs)

Ultrasaurus tabriensis

Classification

Name Meaning Ultra Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Enormous sauropod with a vertical neck and nasal crest that feeds high in trees

Family Brachiosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Large size; long, vertical neck; nasal crest

Height 18 m (60 ft)

Length 30 m (100 ft)

Weight 80 t (254,324 lb)

Edmontosaurus annectens

Classification

Name Meaning Connected Edmonton Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Large dinosaurs with massive tails and duckbill-like beak, short fore legs, and long hind legs

Family Hadrosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Large duck-bill; thousands of chewing teeth; massive tail; walks on four legs and runs on two legs

Height 4.1 m (13.45 ft)

Length 12–15.2 m (39–50 ft)

Weight 5 t (11,023 lb)

Parasaurolophus walkeri

Classification

Name Meaning Walker's Near-Crested Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Duck-billed dinosaur with crest on head

Family Hadrosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Crest on head

Height 3.7 m (12.13 ft)

Length 11.1 m (36.41 ft)

Weight 3.5 t (7,716 lb)

Corythosaurus casuarius

Classification

Name Meaning Cassowary-like Helmet Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Hadrosaur with helmet-like crest on head

Family Hadrosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Helmet-like crest on head

Height 3.4 m (11.15 ft)

Length 8 m (26.24 ft)

Weight 3.07 t (6,768 lb)

Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis

Classification

Name Meaning Thick-Headed Lizard from Wyoming

Diet Herbivore

Description Dinosaur with a thick, domed head

Family Pachycephalosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Thick, domed head; long legs; short arms

Height 1.9 m (6.23 ft)

Length 4.7 m (15.41 ft)

Weight 1 t (2,204 lb)

Protoceratops andrewsi

Classification

Name Meaning Andrews' First-Horned Face

Diet Herbivore

Description Small, sheep-sized ceratopsian dinosaur

Family Ceratopsidae

Physiology

Attributes Small size; beak and frill

Height 1 m (3.5 ft)

Length 2.2 m (7.21 ft)

Weight 272 kg (600 lb)

Triceratops horridus

Classification

Name Meaning Horrid Three-Horned Face

Diet Herbivore

Description Large dinosaurs with three horns on their heads and a frill to protect its neck

Family Ceratopsidae

Physiology

Attributes Three horns; large frill; related to Torosaurus

Height 3.1 m (10.17 ft)

Length 9.2 m (30.18 ft)

Weight 8 t (17,637 lb)

Pentaceratops sternbergii

Classification

Name Meaning Sternberg's Five-Horned Face

Diet Herbivore

Description A large ceratopsian with five horns

Family Ceratopsidae

Physiology

Attributes Large frill; horns; large size; beak

Height 5 m (16.5 feet)

Length 6.5 m (21.32 ft)

Weight 5.5 t (12,125 lb)

Styracosaurus albertensis

Classification

Name Meaning Alberta's Spiked Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Ceratopsian with single large horn and spikes frill

Family Ceratopsidae

Physiology

Attributes Single large horn; crowned frill

Height 1.8 m (5.90 ft)

Length 5.5 m (18.04 ft)

Weight 2.7 t (5,952 lb)

Stegosaurus ungulatus

Classification

Name Meaning Hoofed Roofed Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Herbivorous dinosaur with large bony plates along its curved shape back and four spikes on the end of the tail

Family Stegosauridae

Physiology

Attributes 17 large plates on its back; four, long, powerful thagomizer on its tail; very small brain; able to flush blood into plates; small head

Height 4.93 m (14.16 ft) at the hips 5.23 m (17.15 ft) at tallest plate

Length 11.06 m (36.28 ft)

Weight 7.4 t (16,314 lb)

Ankylosaurus magniventris

Classification

Name Meaning Great Belly Fused Lizard

Diet Herbivore

Description Heavily-armored herbivorous dinosaur equipped with a massive club at the end of the tail

Family Ankylosauridae

Physiology

Attributes Heavy armor; armored eyelids; club at tail end; short legs

Height 2.3 m (7.54 ft)

Length 10.31 m (33.82 ft)

Weight 7 t (15,432 lb)

Pterodactyls longiceps

Classification

Name Meaning

Long-Headed Winged fingers

Diet Piscivore

Description Large pterosaur with crest on head

Family Pteranodontidae

Physiology

Attributes Large head crest; large wingspan; lightweight; long beak

Wingspan 7.7 m (25.26 ft)

Weight 75 kg (165 lb)

Mosasaurus hoffmanni

Classification

Name Meaning Hoffmann's Meuse River Lizard

Diet Carnivore

Description Mosasaur with crocodilian-like attributes

Family Mosasauridae

Physiology

Attributes Sharp teeth; armor-like body

Length 7.21 meters (23.65 feet)

Weight 4 tons (8,809 pounds)

This Ankylosaur is an extinct species of Ankylosaurid from Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) formations in New Mexico.