Ankylosaurus is a heavily armored quadruped whose squat build and club-like tail is well-known by dinosaur enthusiasts. Its name means 'fused lizard'. Its heavily armored back plates protect it from almost any attack from above, and its club tail offers an effective defense.
Discovery
The first identified Ankylosaurus fossil was discovered in 1906 in the Hell Creek Formation, Montana. There was controversy at the time as to whether this was a new genus with so few bones available. The only known club-tail specimen was found in 1910 by an expedition to the Scollard Formation in Alberta, Canada.
Paleoecology
The fossil record indicates that Ankylosaurus favored the uplands of the formations where specimens have been recovered. These regions were subtropical or temperate, with likely monsoonal climate.
