Scolosaurus cutleri(Cutler’s pointed stake reptile) was a relatively large ankylosaurid dinosaur from Canada and part of the United States and lived during the Late Cretaceous. For years, it was thought to be synonymous with another ankylosaur called Euoplocephalus but it was restored as a separate genus recently. It did live with Euoplocephalus in the same time and general location along with several other ankylosaurs such as Dyoplosaurus, Zuul, and the nodosaurid Panoplosaurus. Other dinosaurs that lived along Scolosaurus were Chasmosaurus, Styracosaurus, and Parasaurolophus.
Scolosaurus was among the largest ankylosaurs in its environment and a large animal overall at 6.5 meters long and weighing about 2.5 tonnes. It was of course overshadowed by its later and larger relative Ankylosaurus. It fed on low growing plants such as ferns. It’s unclear how social Scolosaurus was but it’s thought to be solitary. Younglings would have been raised by their parents and left to find new homes and territory upon growing up. Few predators could threaten Scolosaurus. Only large tyrannosaurs like Daspletosaurus and Gorgosaurus could hunt adults but even the more robust of the two apex predators would find Scolosaurus a difficult opponent due to the armor and powerful tail club. Large crocodiles like Deinosuchus might’ve been a threat as well. Small predators such as Latenivenatrix, Sauronitholestes, Dromaeosaurus, Chirostenotes, Struthiomimus, and Ornithomimus would only be a threat to young Scolosaurus or eggs. Large pterosaurs might also have threatened the hatchlings.
Scolosaurus is not a well known dinosaur but it has been featured in Colossal Book of Dinosaurs, a collection of illustrated short stories of various prehistoric creatures. It’s also made appearances in prehistory encyclopedias and paleo art.
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