Fun Denversaurus Facts For Kids

Built like a tank, but friendly as a friend, the Denversaurus is a dino you definitely want batting for you!

You must have seen images of this creature, defined by its long tail, and armored back, which may have protected it from predators. Immense in size, this species of dinosaur was a herbivore, found spending its time eating grass and other vegetation.

With precious few skeletal remains to study this creature with, scientists may have made a lot of assumptions on the life and times of the Denversaurus.

The name Denversaurus (meaning Denver lizard) is different from Edmontonia but is similar to Panoplosaurus in having convex, inflated, cranial clay sculpting with visible sulci between individual upper skull armor elements. If you would like to study and learn about this creature up close and personal (or at least, as close as possible) then read on!

You can learn fun facts, including Denversaurus vs Edmontonia, about the Denversaurus Montana, the Denversaurus Schlessman, and many other different things!

Or, you can learn other interesting things about various dinosaurs in nature, including the Harpactognathus and Becklespinax.

Denversaurus Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Denversaurus'?

The word Denversaurus is pronounced as 'den-ver-sore-us'.

What type of dinosaur was a Denversaurus?

The Denversaurus schlessmani is a genus of herbivorous Nodosaurid ankylosaurian dinosaurs in the late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) of western North America. Although some taxonomists treated it as a minor synonym of Edmontonia, new research shows that it is a distinct Nodosaurid genus.

What geological period did the Denversaurus roam the earth?

Denversaurus schlessmani lived in the Late Cretaceous, around 68 to 66 million years ago, during the Maastrichtian period. Thus, Denversaurus lived in the North American region during the late Cretaceous era and Tyrannosaurus rex, Edmontosaurus, Triceratops,  Pachycephalosaurus, and Struthiomimus, to name a few.

When did the Denversaurus become extinct?

There is data that shows that certain ankylosaurs died out long before the Cretaceous period ended. It is hardly known what caused their demise, but it appears to be that a variety of other dinosaurs occurred less abundantly. This dinosaur is thought to have fallen to the same fate.

Where did a Denversaurus live?

Denversaurus schlessmani, with a length of 19.69 ft (6 m), lived in a region known as the Dinosaur Park Formation.

What was a Denversaurus's habitat?

Saurian Denversaurus (meaning 'Denver lizard') was a herbivorous Nodosaurid ankylosaurian dinosaur that lived from the late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) of western North America. It lived in areas with vegetation.

Who did a Denversaurus live with?

These dinosaurs, with distinct nodosaurid genus and closely related to Edmontonia, having a 6613.8 lb (3000 kg) weight, are solitary and didn'tsurvive in herds.

How long did a Denversaurus live?

Due to lack of close study, there is no specific lifespan that is considered for the Denversaurus. Dinosaurs with similar or lower genus are considered to live between 30-50 years, according to cranial data. Therefore, we can only make guesses as to the lifespan of this particular creature.

How did they reproduce?

We can probably follow the reproduction methods of reptiles in order to determine how the dinosaur reproduced. However, due to the lack of information, poorly treated specimens on display, restricted access, and various other research-based obstacles, there is no data on how they reproduced.

Denversaurus Fun Facts

What did a Denversaurus look like?

American naturalist Robert T. Bakker considered the Denversaurus species a distinct nodosaurid from Edmontonia. The difference of the Denversaurus skeletal formation was in having a broad skull at the back and a more posterior position of the eye sockets.

The holotype with the name Denversaurus skull had a length of 19.5 in (495.3 mm). These proportions are less dramatic in the cited specimen AMNH 3076. According to American paleontologist, Kenneth Carpenter, crushing caused the increased breadth of both the holotype and the referred specimen.

It is distinct from Panoplosaurus in possessing a relatively wider snout, according to an abstract published in 2015 by vertebrate anatomist and paleontologist with the name of Michael Burns. In addition, the creature had a spiky tail. This tail was employed as a weapon of defense.

How many bones did a Denversaurus have?

There has never been a complete skeleton discovered for this creature. There have been some skeletons discovered in western North America, although they by no means present a full skeleton. Whenever a fossil is found, it only has some bones, a skull, and other things examined with science-based research.

How did they communicate?

Science, research, and data from history have not yielded a means of communication for this species. It is assumed from their fossil that they would need to speak to at least communicate danger. However, examination of their skull, and other data on display, has yielded no answers.

How big was a Denversaurus?

The length of these animals was about 19.69 ft (6 m).

How fast could a Denversaurus move?

Data has revealed that this dinosaur was one of the biggest herbivores around. This may make them very slow, traveling with less than average speed. Since they are often compared to tanks, which also move slowly, we can safely assume that the same may hold true for these creatures too.

How much did a Denversaurus weigh?

The Denversaurus weight was measured at about 6613.8 lb (3000 kg). This would make them one of the largest herbivores one could see or have access to in scientific data. Some exceptions exist (like the Marapunisaurus), but the Denversaurus is still a huge animal.

What were the male and female names of the species?

There is no specific title for the male and female species of these animals, which are a distinct Nodosaurid genus closely related to Edmontonia and have teeth capable of crushing vegetation.

What would you call a baby Denversaurus?

The baby species (genus of herbivorous Nodosaurid) having a weight of about 6613.8 lb (3000 kg), thick armor with a spiky tail, and wider snout, don't have any special title.

What did they eat?

They had a strong sense of smell, which they utilize to find the herbivore's favorite foods, making up for their relatively weak vision and hearing. The Denversaurus (Edmontonia) was a plant-eating, armored dinosaur with a tank-like appearance. This is all the data that has come up in scientific research on this.

How aggressive were they?

In order to determine how aggressive they were, you can easily see the data on their diet and develop an opinion. Since it has been recognized that this order of dinosaurs was herbivorous, we can develop the theory that they were not aggressive at all.

Did you know?

Denversaurus schlessmani was a genus-type animal. The Denver Museum of Natural History in Denver, Colorado was referred to by the generic name. Lee E. Schlessman, a key philanthropist of the museum and the creator of the Schlessman Family Trust, was honored with the name.

Denversaurus dinosaur (meaning 'Denver lizard') is a genus of herbivorous nodosaurid dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) of western North America. Although it is sometimes treated as a lesser synonym for Edmontonia.

Did the Denversaurus hunt?

No, this herbivore animal is a group of quite large armored plant-eating dinosaurs. This species, along with Ankylosaurus, were discovered in the Hell Creek Formation's lower portion.

What was special about the Denversaurus?

Tank is the most comprehensive Denversaurus schlessmani found to date and the exclusive mountable skeleton. The Denversaurus skeleton was discovered within the Lance Creek Formation. Denversaurus saurian was the largest and last of the Armored dinosaurs that walk the world. The tank would be a fantastic addition to any dinosaur museum, especially ones focused on the Cretaceous period.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other creatures from our Ostafrikasaurus facts, or Homalocephale facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Denversaurus coloring pages.

Main image by RABaker96.