Stegosauridae

† Stegosauridae is the major family of stegosaurian dinosaurs, documented from Late Jurassic deposits of the United States. Members bear two rows of alternating plates or spines along the dorsum, with tail spikes (thagomizer) for defense.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Stegosauridae was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Stegosauridae lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161,5 to 145,0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.