The most complete Stegosaurus skeleton

'Stegosaurus fossil finds are rare. Having the world's most complete example here for research means we can begin to uncover the secrets behind the evolution and behaviour of this intriguing dinosaur species.'
Prof Paul Barrett, vertebrate palaeontologist

The world's most complete Stegosaurus skeleton was unveiled at the Museum in 2014. Scientists estimated the body mass of the animal by digitising more than 300 bones of its skeleton and producing a 3D model. This allowed them to calculate how much the Stegosaurus weighed - as much as a small rhino - which would have influenced how much food it ate and how it walked around.

Dinosaur skulls are often squashed during the fossilisation process, but the bones of this Stegosaurus skull are all three-dimensional. This makes it one of the most scientifically valuable dinosaur skulls ever found.

Future studies of the specimen may answer some of our long-held questions about Stegosaurus, including the function of its bony back plates.

Find out how scientists study the Stegosaurus skeleton >
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