| You've created a Nodosaurus. The name means 'knobbed lizard'. It's a tough dinosaur... I guess you would be too with that name. |
Nodosaurus is a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that originated from Late Cretaceous North America. One of the first armored dinosaurs discovered in North America, Nodosaurus is unlocked by the Hammond Foundation upon completion of the Science Division mission on Isla Tacaño.
Description
A burly and broad-bodied dinosaur, Nodosaurus is covered in thick bony scutes with spikes running along its back and tail. The base genome is a soft brown color.
Much like Ankylosaurus, Nodosaurus has excellent defences, yet a short lifespan and poor immunity. However it is one of the cheaper dinosaurs available and has relatively low space needs. The inexpensive incubation of Nodosaurus means that its genes can be edited so that it can have a longer lifespan and better immunity without raising the price too high.
Behaviour
Nodosaurus isn't a very social animal, though it isn't quite as hostile as Sauropelta. It can live alone, in a small group of four or less, or alternatively with seven other dinosaurs. It can be used to make an armoured dinosaur display with Ankylosaurus, Crichtonsaurus, and Polacanthus.
Paleontology
One of the first armored dinosaurs discovered in North America, Nodosaurus is a medium sized herbivore, discovered by Othniel Marsh in 1889. Despite being a type genus of the Nodosauridae family, Nodosaurus is only known from incomplete remains including pieces of armor, spine and hip. Paleontologists have a decent idea of what this dinosaur could have looked like, due to their knowledge of better known relatives such as Edmontonia and Borealopelta.
The nodosauridae family are recognisable from the Ankylosauridae by their lack of tail clubs and narrower mouths, suggesting they were more selective about their diets.
Paleoecology
Nodosaurus lived 100 million years ago in coastal plains, which now are the Frontier Formation of Wyoming. The only other dinosaur known to have lived during the same time period is another relatively unknown ankylosaur, Stegopelta.
Available genomes
| Fossil icon | Dig site | Quality | Number available |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Peay Sandstone Member |    
| 2 6 12 8 |
Skins
Trivia
- Nodosaurus was the twentieth dinosaur to receive a Species Profile, on 25 May 2018.
- The model of the Nodosaurus seems to be based on another genus of nodosaurid dinosaur called Borealopelta (although this is likely due to the low amounts of Nodosaurus fossils that've been excavated). The resemblance is further enhanced by the arid and jungle skins, both of which bear a resemblance to the ginger red, counter-shaded coloration of Borealopelta.
Gallery
External links
- Nodosaurus on Wikipedia
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
