Jurassic Herbivore Stegosaurs

Stegosaurus stenops

Stegosaurus stenops

Pronunciation: [STEG-oh-SORE-us STEN-ops] Meaning: “Roofed lizard with narrow face”

An iconic plated herbivore possessing alternating osteodermal dorsal plates for thermoregulation or display and four lethal tail spikes (thagomizer) for active defense.

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Nearly complete mounted skeleton of Stegosaurus stenops (specimen NHMUK PV R36730, "Sophie") at the Natural History Museum, London.
Verified Museum Specimen
NHMUK PV R36730 ("Sophie") • Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
Photo: Susannah Maidment et al. (CC BY 4.0) (CC BY 4.0) • Specimen Record ↗

Specimen Field Matrix

Empirical morphological and stratigraphical records
Geologic Period Jurassic
Temporal Range Late Jurassic, 155–150 Ma
Dietary Guild Herbivore
Taxonomic Clade Stegosaurs
Total Length 9 m (29.5 ft)
Standing Height 4 m (13.1 ft)
Body Mass Estimate 5,000 kg (5 t / 11,023 lbs)
Locomotion Quadrupedal
Fossil Localities Colorado, Utah, Wyoming
Stratigraphic Formations Morrison Formation
Field Dispatch & Natural History

Paleontological Overview

An iconic plated herbivore possessing alternating osteodermal dorsal plates for thermoregulation or display and four lethal tail spikes (thagomizer) for active defense.

Stegosaurus stenops was described from fossil material recovered in the Morrison Formation.

Biomechanical Proportions

Human Scale Comparison

Proportional anatomical comparison between an average adult human (1.8 m / 5.9 ft) and Stegosaurus stenops (9 m / 29.5 ft length, 4 m / 13.1 ft standing height).

Ground Level (0.0 m) 1.8 m (5.9 ft) Length: 9 m (29.5 ft) 4 m height
Adult Human: 1.8 m (5.9 ft)
Stegosaurus stenops: 9 m (29.5 ft) length • 4 m (13.1 ft) standing height
Paleogeography & Stratigraphy

Where & When It Lived

Geographic Range & Habitat

North America
Fossil Deposit Localities:
Colorado, Utah, Wyoming
Geological Formations:
Morrison Formation

Fossil specimens of this species have been recovered from terrestrial floodplains, ancient river channels, and coastal sandstone facies deposited during continental rifting and tectonic reconfigurations.

Geologic Epoch & Chronology

Jurassic Period Late Jurassic, 155–150 Ma

Radiometric dating of volcanic ash layers (bentonite horizons) places this taxon between 155 and 150 million years before the present.

Visual Archives

Specimen & Life Restoration Gallery

Verified Museum Specimen NHMUK PV R36730 ("Sophie")
Biomechanical Profile Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
Scientific Bibliography

Peer-Reviewed References & Institutional Literature

Monographs and peer-reviewed taxonomic papers for this record are compiled from international paleontological journals and museum collections.

Scientific data peer-reviewed and verified on March 25, 2026 • Dinosaurs Facts Paleontological Registry
Mesozoic Kinship

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