Hesperosaurus

dinosaur · stegosaur · herbivore · jurassic

Plate-backed giant. Hesperosaurus belonged to the stegosaur family, dinosaurs famous for their rows of bony plates running down their backs and spiky tails used for defense.

Gentle plant eater. Despite its fearsome appearance, Hesperosaurus ate plants and herbs, munching on the ferns and trees that grew in its western North American habitat.

Ancient Jurassic reptile. This dinosaur lived approximately 156 million years ago during the Kimmeridgian age, a time when giant reptiles ruled the Earth.

Western survivor. Hesperosaurus roamed what is now the western United States, where fossil hunters have discovered important clues about how stegosaurs lived and evolved.