Fun Panoplosaurus Facts For Kids

Panoplosaurus is a genus in the family Nodosauridae of the suborder Ankylosauria. This armored dinosaur species was one of the last of the Nodosaurids found during the Late Cretaceous Period. The region of existence of these dinosaurs is the present area of North America. This is proved by the accumulation of fossils of these dinosaurs from Alberta, Canada, and Texas, United States. The Nodosaurids probably lived in coastal plain flatlands near ancient mid-continental seaways. The diet consisted of low-lying vegetation and plants.

Panoplosaurus mirus is the only species in the genus Panoplosaurus. The species was named by a Canadian Palaeontologist named Lawrence Lambe (1919). The name Panoplosaurus mirus was given on the basis of Greek words which actually means 'completely armored lizard'. These dinosaurs were not very big and were of medium size when compared to some other related dinosaurs. These dinosaurs were only about 16 ft (4.8 m) long.

These dinosaurs of the late cretaceous period were known to exist around 66 million years ago. The dinosaurs belong to the group of armored dinosaurs called nodosaurs. The upper parts of the bodies of these dinosaurs were covered with bony plates (looking like a saucer) embedded in the skin. These plates are termed armor. Also, all members of the armored dinosaurs have the same body size and proportions. There is a related species of Nodosauridae called Edmontonia whose body is protected by a row of great, solid spines located on its flanks along with the bony plates. However, members of this group do not possess tail clubs.

For more relatable content, check out these Zuniceratops facts and Harpactognathus fun facts for kids. 

How do you pronounce 'Panoplosaurus'?

The pronunciation of Panoplosaurus is 'Pan-oh-ploh-saw-rus'.

What type of dinosaur was a Panoplosaurus?

Part of the suborder Ankylosauria, this ancient late cretaceous period creature was a terrestrial dinosaur of the family Nodosauridae in the suborder Ankylosauria.

In which geological period did the Panoplosaurus roam the earth?

Panoplosaurus dinosaurs, also known as completely armored dinosaurs, roamed the planet about 60-75 million years ago in the late cretaceous period.

When did the Panoplosaurus become extinct?

The herbivore Panoplosaurus dinosaur used to live in the late cretaceous period. This dinosaur became extinct some 75 million years ago due to natural disasters. However, the concrete time span is not available to determine the year of extinction for the dinosaur species.

Where did a Panoplosaurus live?

According to historians and scientists, the Panoplosaurus dinosaur used to live in the current North American region. Six different specimens of fossils have been found in Canada, Alberta, and Texas of the USA.

The first fossil of the dinosaur species was found Charles M. Sternberg near Little Sandhill Creek in 1917. Soon after, the type species called Panoplosaurus mirus was described by Lawrence M. Lambe (1919). Till now, several skulls and partial post-cranial remains have been found in various locations all around the region.

Known locations of the fossil found are in Canada,‭ ‬in Alberta‭ , ‬Dinosaur Park Formation,‭ ‬in Saskatchewan‭ , Judith River Formation, in‭ ‬USA,‭ ‬Montana‭ , Bearpaw Shale Formation,‭ ‬and in New Mexico‭, Ojo Alamo Formation.

What was a Panoplosaurus's habitat?

The dinosaur is known to be a ground-dwelling species and preferred a terrestrial habitat. The short legs and neck of the dinosaur give us the information that it had a diet of low-height soft plants and vegetation and lived in areas where the food is abundant.

Who did a Panoplosaurus live with?

There is no information available on the company this dinosaur species kept. However, the bony armored structure on the body of this dinosaur proves that predators could not attack easily or damage the body of the dinosaur.

How long did a Panoplosaurus live?

The life span of the dinosaur is not known. The Panoplosaurus dinosaur has been extinct for a long time now and many details regarding its behavior are unavailable.

How did they reproduce?

Other than the information that the dinosaur reproduced by laying eggs, any other detail is not available.

What did a Panoplosaurus look like?

Panoplosarus was a heavily armored species, more than other nodosaurs. Some traverse bands of studded plates were probably covering its back and tail. But the tail did not possess the club common in other ankylosaurids. Bony armor covered the shoulders, neck, and front limbs. The design of this armor was with a prominent curved ridge on the outer surface. Other nodosaurs have spikes on the shoulders, but these spikes are found absent in the Panoplosaurus. The head had a helmet-like shield. Bony cheek scutes were also found. A short and wide at the back skull was also said to be present. Among the specimens found, one had a rounded head and the others longer and flatter skulls. The snout was particularly narrow. The coracoid was not fused to the scapula and was slender. The forelegs were found to be heavy with probably large muscles. The hand had three fingers. There were four sacral vertebrae with short sacral ribs to which the pelvis was attached.

How many bones did a Panoplosaurus have?

Not much content is available regarding the number of bones of this dinosaur as several specimens have been found but all are incomplete.

How did they communicate?

The dinosaurs probably communicated using chemical methods. But mostly, communication was established with each other tactically or by touch.

How big was a Panoplosaurus?

The Panoplosaurus dinosaur grew up to a size of 16-23 ft (4.8-7 m). This information has been gathered from the fossils found in various regions of North America. The short neck and short legs of the dinosaur make it a medium-sized species.

How fast could a Panoplosaurus move?

The speed of the Panoplosaurus dinosaur is not known. However, the short legs ensured that the species cannot run quickly or long distances. However, the large muscles might have made them maneuverable like a rhinocerous.

How much did a Panoplosaurus weigh?

The weight of the species was known to be 3306-3527 lb (1499.5-1599.8 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

There is no information on different names for the Panoplosaurus dinosaur species.

What would you call a baby Panoplosaurus?

The name for a baby Panoplosaurus is not known.

What did they eat?

The short height of the Panoplosaurus dinosaur made it stay alive only in a diet of low-lying vegetation and soft plants. It is a herbivorous species.

How aggressive were they?

They were not considered very aggressive, however, the armor of the dinosaur helped it deter any potential predators. They could also whip a blow by the stiff tail.

Did you know...

Panoplosaurus was strictly a herbivorous species.

Panoplosaurus can be considered endemic to North America. However, the endemic nature has not been proved and the range is scattered across the area.

Panoplosaurus mirus means 'completely armored lizard'.

Was Panoplosaurus the last living nodosaurids?

Yes, Panoplosaurus was one of the last known nodosaurids. This dinosaur was seen in the late cretaceous period before it went extinct.

Did Panoplosaurus live in Canada?

Fossils of the species have been found in Canada, along with other places.

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

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

Second image by Conty.