Kentrosaurus

Kentrosaurus aethiopicus is a genus and species of stegosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic, about 155 to 150 million years ago, in what is now Tanzania. It is a member of the Thyreophora and one of the better-known African stegosaurs, contributing to our understanding of early plated dinosaurs.

Discovery and naming: Fossils from the Tendaguru Formation were collected during German expeditions in the early 20th century. The genus Kentrosaurus was named by German paleontologist Edwin Hennig in 1915, with Kentrosaurus aethiopicus designated as the type species.

Description: Kentrosaurus was relatively smaller than the better-known Stegosaurus, with an estimated length around four meters. It had a narrow body, a small skull, and hind limbs longer than the forelimbs. A distinctive feature is a row of small dorsal plates toward the front part of the back, complemented by a series of long, spike-like scutes along the hips and tail. The tail bore sharp spikes that could have been used for defense. This arrangement differs from Stegosaurus, which carried larger plates along most of its back.

Behavior and paleobiology: As a herbivore, Kentrosaurus fed on vegetation available in its environment. The plates and tail spikes were likely used for defense and display, while locomotion would have been primarily quadrupedal with potential occasional bipedal activity depending on behavior and feeding.

Fossil record and significance: Multiple skeletons are known from Tendaguru, providing valuable insight into stegosaurs and African Late Jurassic ecosystems. Kentrosaurus helps illustrate the diversity of stegosaur anatomy and the evolutionary history of armored dinosaurs.