Kentrosaurus | Facts & Information

In 1915, in present-day Tanzania, Africa, the fossil remains of the dinosaur Kentrosaurus were discovered by the German paleontologist and explorer Werner Ernst Martin Janensch and described by the Berlin paleontologist Edwin Henning.

It was a medium sized dinosaur that reached a length of about 4-5 meters, height of 2 meters and a weight of 1.5 tons.

This dinosaur had its body equipped with a protective shell, which protects it against predators and stepsons of nature. It is similar to other spiny dionosaurs, but it had some peculiarities that made it unique.

Thus on both sides of the spine there were two strings of bony plates, vertical, rather thin, triangular in shape, which stretched from the nape to the middle of the back. In the continuation of the back to the tip of the tail it had two rows of thorns, which were up to 60 cm long.

The sides of the shoulders and pelvis were also provided with a pair of very sharp spines, one on each side of the body, which provided protection in these areas from the vicious attack of a predator. Paleontologists believed that these bone plates were covered with skin and crossed by numerous blood vessels, and their role was to defend against attacks by other species of dinosaurs and regulate body temperature.

The skull of a Kentrosaurus shows that the brain volume was small, but it had well-developed olfactory sense due to large nasal cavities. In the tail area there was a cavity that housed a nerve ganglion with the role of controlling the movements of the hind limbs and tail.

The tail and hind limbs were large and very muscular, and the posterior part of the body also had a system of strong tendons that allowed the animal to hold its tail high. In case of danger, she used her tail as a defense weapon, waved it in front of the predator and wounded it with her large, sharp thorns.

It had short and strong forelimbs and long and muscular hind limbs, and their shape led researchers to conclude that it moved like a quadruped, on all fours. Certainly it sometimes rises on its hind limbs to tear off leaves and tree branches, but its conformation and body weight show that it does not last very long in this position.

Kentrosaurus Feed

It was a herbivorous dinosaur that adapted very well to environmental conditions, lived on river banks and in savannas, and its food consisted of various plants growing on the ground.

Sometimes he supplemented his food with branches, seeds or tree bark, which he tore off with his flat and elongated snout and tore them with rather little sharp teeth.