Fun Lexovisaurus Facts For Kids

The classification of the Lexovisaurus genus is entirely based on the holotype specimen of this species and was named by Robert Hoffstetter. This genus is found under the family of Stegosauridae and the order of Ornithischia. These dinosaurs were estimated to have lived in what is now France and England during the middle to the late Jurassic period.

Fossils of this dinosaur were discovered during the beginning half of the 1880s, in a brick pit at the Tanholt hamlet near the Eye in Cambridgeshire. Initially, fossils of this dinosaur were named as a species of the Omosaurus, Omosaurus durobrivensis, by John Whitaker Hulke. However, the species was renamed because 'omosaurus' was already in use and was then called Dacentrurus in 1915. In 1957, a French paleontologist, Robert Hoffstetter, proposed that fossils of this species belonged to a new, separate genus and renamed it the Lexovisaurus.

Due to the incomplete holotype specimen which contains fossils of the postcranial skeleton including one massive spike and vertebrae, the exact physical representation of these dinosaurs is uncertain. Specimens suggest that these Stegosaurids had a large body, a spiked tail with one spike on the shoulders, and flat plates on the back.

Dinosaurs can teach you a lot about how the Earth has evolved, so take a look at the Dromiceiomimus and the Camposaurus.

How do you pronounce 'Lexovisaurus'? 

The Lexovisaurus pronunciation is ' leks-o-ve-sore-us'.

What type of dinosaur was a Lexovisaurus?

The Lexovisaurus durobrivensis was a Stegosaur belonging to the clade Ornithiscia which is characterized by a pelvic structure that on superficial observation was found to be much like that of birds.

In which geological period did the Lexovisaurus roam the Earth?

The temporal range for these Stegosaurs is predicted to be in the early Cretaceous period, more specifically the middle to late Jurassic period.

When did the Lexovisaurus become extinct?

This Stegosaur went extinct around 165.7-164.7 million years ago, during the mid-late Jurassic period of the early Cretaceous period.

Where did a Lexovisaurus live? 

The location of specimens of these members of Dinosauria prove that they lived in what is now modern-day England and France, and have been found all over Western Europe.

What was a Lexovisaurus' habitat? 

The Lexovisaurus lived in open grasslands that bordered forests for the high availability of low growing plants and grass due to their short stature and them not being able to stretch too high up.

Who did a Lexovisaurus live with?

Like most Stegosauridae, this breed of Ornithischia preferred living in herds.

How long did a Lexovisaurus live?

Lifespan information on the Lexovisaurus is unknown.

How did they reproduce?

Although the exact reproduction method of these dinosaurs is unknown, they may have displayed sexual dimorphism which helped them attract mates. These dinosaurs were oviparous and eggs were fertilized inside the body of the mother. In addition, they built large nests on the ground and used dirt or vegetation to cover eggs for incubation.

What did a Lexovisaurus look like?

Whatever information is available about this dinosaur is based on the incomplete specimen of the holotype. They were known to have a typical Stegosaurian heavy body with a tiny, flat, and elongated head. They were quadrupedal and had strong hind limb bones that were designed to support their hefty, pillar-like legs and huge body. It is thought that it was almost impossible for these dinosaurs to run because the region where their knee and lower thighbone joined were smaller from the front to back which means limited support while rotating the knee joint. These dinosaurs also showed signs of ossified skin called osteoderms, which covered various parts of its body. Their backplates were flat and narrow. Although the exact placement is uncertain, it is thought that they were placed on the front of its body with spines that ran along the length of its tail. It is believed that the large spine was either situated on the shoulders, tail, or hip.

How many bones did a Lexovisaurus have?

Bones discovered of the holotype of this dinosaur are limited to a few limb bones, importantly one of the femur and a few plates of armor which were first thought to be some kind of dermal armor. A further discovery of different, more detailed fossils of Stegosaurs showed that these plates were plates from the skull.

How did they communicate?

The communication methods of these dinosaurs are unknown.

How big was a Lexovisaurus? 

The Lexovisaurus size is considered normal for members of Stegosauria, but it did have a wider pelvis than most of its group. It grew up to 5-6 m (16.4-19.6 ft) in length which is four times smaller than the length of the whale shark. The Lexovisaurus height is not known.

How fast could a Lexovisaurus move?

Due to their unevenly sized legs, locomotion would prove to be cumbersome for these members of Dinosauria even though their hind legs show signs of being built for running. They were estimated to go about 4.3 mph (7 kph) which is not very fast and is around 10 times less than the speed of the onager.

How much did a Lexovisaurus weigh?

The Lexovisaurus weight was said to have been around 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) which is 10 times the weight of the Irrawaddy dolphin.

What were the male and female names of the species?

They do not have different names.

What would you call a baby Lexovisaurus?

A young dinosaur of this species would be called a juvenile.

What did they eat? 

The Lexovisaurus did not have strong jaws and had a bite strength much weaker than today's wolves or Labrador retrievers. This would make it unable to bite or break off anything harder than the softest of plants. They could only eat small, quick-growing weeds and herbs or even water plants.

How aggressive were they?

The Lexovisaurus, like most herbivores, was a gentle beast and traveled in herds for protection from predators. It was provided with natural armor in the form of flat plates on its dorsal region as well as its skin. Its tail had four spikes on it making it quite dangerous as a clubbing device when the animal was threatened.

Did you know...

This genus was classified under Stegosaurdae in 1957.

How did the Lexovisaurus get its name?

Initially, the Lexovisaurus was named as a species called the Omosaurus durobrivensis under the genus Omosaurus by John Whitaker Hulke, before it was transferred to the British Museum of Natural History. In 1915, it was renamed the Dacentrurus durobrivensis upon realizing that the former name was already in use. However, after reviewing specimens, the classification of these middle to late Jurassic period dinosaurs was changed to a new genus named Lexovisaurus by Robert Hoffstetter. The generic name was derived based on various specimen remains of Stegosauria dinosaurs in Normandy, which was inhabited by a Gallic tribe called Lexovii.

What fossils of Lexovisaurus were discovered?

The first specimen was discovered by Alfred Nicholson Leeds in the 1880s around the Eye in Cambridgeshire. In 1898, the holotype was discovered in the Oxford Clay formation from the middle Callovian age consisting of five vertebrae and two ilia.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Yunnanosaurus facts and Aegyptosaurus facts for kids.

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

Image one by Levi bernardo.

Image two by Nobu Tamura, http://paleoexhibit.blogspot.com/; http://spinops.blogspot.com/; http://www.palaeocritti.com.