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At first glance, saltasaurus looks like an average sauropod (long-necked plant eater). A closer look, however, shows that this beast had bony armor over its back that repelled the bites of predators. These dinosaurs traveled in herds, which provided extra protection against enemies.

Square Peg: Saltasaurus had a mouth full of long, peg-like teeth. The beast raked these teeth through branches of trees and shrubs to strip them of tough leaves, which the dinosaur then swallowed whole.

Top Feeder: This reptile's long neck helped it reach food that smaller plant-eaters couldn't reach. Saltasaurus could also rear up on its muscular hind legs to grab leaves from the very tops of trees.

Jawbreaker[]

Saltasaurus Back Image

This dino laid big eggs.

Saltasaurus was a huge dinosaur, but was small compared to other sauropods. This meaty beast would have been a perfect target for large predators, or even groups of smaller carnivores, if it weren't for its coat of armor. Large, bony plates called scutes locked together between the dinosaur's' neck and tail, and were covered with bumps called ossicles to form a protective shield; it left enemies that tried to bite it with broken teeth.

Big Appetite: Most dino scientists believe that these giants traveled together in herds. With each member of the herd needing tons of food every day, they could have stripped an area clean of vegetation in hours.

Thick Shields: Fossilized saltasaurus eggs that have been discovered have shells that are almost a quarter of an inch thick-the thickest eggs of any creature in all of natural history. Egg-stealing dinos would have had trouble cracking them.

Get Off My Back[]

  1. As a lone saltasaurus is feeding, a hungry meat-eating dinosaur thunders forward to attack. The large plant-eater is caught with its vulnerable belly exposed, and looks like it might make a hearty meal for the predator.
  2. At the last moment, saltasaurus crouches down on all fours so its belly is hidden. The predator bites down and breaks several of its teeth on saltasaurus' tough armor; the injured attacker may not be able to tear into prey for a while.

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Trivia[]

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