Armored from head to tail, euoplocephalus rumbled across prehistoric North America in huge numbers. This defensive powerhouse had bony armor on its head, spikes along its back and a bone-shattering club on its tail. Predators such as T-rex would have found it tough to attack this two-ton dino.
Hard Hat: Euoplocephalus' head was topped with layers of thick bone that prevented predators from biting into it. This dinosaur even had bony armor on its eyelids, which protected its eyes like window shutters.
Like Spike: In addition to being armor-plated, euoplocephalus' head and body were lined with bony spikes. These would easily break a predator's teeth and stab into the roof of an attacker's mouth.
Avoid this Swinger[]
Fossil evidence found in Canada shows that euoplocephalus' tail club was made of four enlarged bone plates.
Euoplocephalus' armor protected its body from predators, but this brute also had a way to fight back. Two balls of solid bone were attached to the end of its tail, which the dinosaur could swing by using its powerful hip muscles. A full force impact of this club-like tail would crush bone, and could stagger or kill any predator.
Big & Quick: Most creatures with bulky armor are slow-movers, but not this beast. Euoplocephalus could dodge enemy attacks, and its strong legs helped it trot at more than 5 mph.
Nose Noise: Euoplocephalus had S-shaped nasal cavities in its skull. These gave the dinosaur a great sense of smell; they may also have been used to make whistling noises to communicate with other members of a herd.
Timeline[]
Euoplocephalus lived about 75 million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period.