Scolosaurus

stake lizard (or thorn lizard)

• skolos · Greek · pointed stake, thorn
• sauros · Greek · lizard

The name combines the Greek "skolos", meaning a pointed stake or thorn, with "sauros", meaning lizard. It refers to the armoured, spiky ankylosaur described by Baron Franz Nopcsa from a well-preserved specimen found in Alberta, Canada. The type species is Scolosaurus cutleri.

Named by

Nopcsa

Year named

1928

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Campanian

Found in

Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada

Scolosaurus is an ankylosaurid dinosaur name that is generally treated as a junior synonym of Euoplocephalus (S. cutleri is usually regarded as Euoplocephalus tutus), though a few researchers have argued it may be distinct. The etymology of the root "skolos" is given with moderate confidence.