One of the most popular dinosaurs of all time, the Stegosaurus is quite distinctive with the row of large bony plates along its back and four formidable spikes on its tail. These spikes are believed to have been used to protect the Stegosaurus from attacks by Jurassic predators like the Allosaurus.

History: The Stegosaurus was discovered and described in 1877 by Othniel Charles Marsh. Initially, its plates were thought to be flat on the dinosaur’s back, like the shell of a turtle. Later, more complete findings showed they stood upright on the Stegosaurus’s back, although their exact arrangement remains something of a mystery. While sometimes depicted in a symmetrical double row, the most widely accepted current theory is that the plates were staggered in two alternating rows.

Scientific name: Stegosaurus (Roofed Lizard)

Characteristics: This Stegosaurus toy looks at s