Nodosauridae

    Nodosaurids used to be classified as all ankylosaurians without tail clubs, as opposed to the clubbed ankylosaurids, but with the emergence of another clubless group, the Polacanthidae, that definition is no longer valid (for a short time, it was believed that polacanthids also had small tail clubs, but this was found to be a mistake).  It's pretty obvious, even without polacanthids, that just thinking of tail clubs is a bit simplistic, and of course there are other distinguishing characteristics.  Nodosaurids in general are the ankylosaurians without tail clubs or tons of spikes; they typically go for large spines in the neck-pectoral region, and leave it at that as far as large pointy pieces of armor go.

<--Nodosauridae
      |--Struthiosaurus
      `--+--Hungarosaurus
           `--+--Sauropelta
                |--Silvisaurus
                |--Edmontonia
                `--Panoplosaurus

Nodosauridae:  Among other new finds, young nodosaur remains are known from the late Santonian-early Campanian (LK) of Alabama.

Taxon or Taxa: Time\Place: Comments:
Struthiosaurus:
Bunzel, 1871 		 S. austriacus (type) Bunzel, 1871 early Campanian (LK) of Austria S. austriacus was at one time thought to be a theropod.  It may be the same as better-known S. transylvanicus, although this is uncertain.
S. languedocensis Garcia and Suberbiola, 2003 early Campanian (LK) of France Based on the pelvic region and a few dorsals, with other material referred, S. languedocensis is classically Struthiosaurus-small.  It may represent what was briefly mentioned on the Internet as "Villeveyracosaurus" a few years ago.
S. transylvanicus Nopcsa, 1915 Campanian-Maastrichtian (LK) of Austria, France, Romania, and ?Spain This is a common "pygmy" nodosaurid.  It was a small, spiky beast.  A number of indeterminate nodosaurids have been named from the LK of Europe, and this animal may be the same as many of them.
Hungarosaurus tormai Ősi, 2005 Santonian (LK) of Hungary Hungarosaurus is a basal nodosaurid, more derived than Struthiosaurus, but less than the knot of well-known K North American animals.  It is known from the remains of at least four individuals, and is based on a partial skeleton including cranial material, three cervicals, six dorsals, a sacrum, ten caudals, a number of ribs and chevrons, most of both shoulder girdles, most of the right forearm, part of the ilia and an ischium, right femur and fibula, and many pieces of armor.  Among other differences, it can be told from Struthiosaurus by its possession of protuberances on the quadratojugal and postorbital, and was also probably somewhat larger (estimated at 4 m long, versus a common estimate of 2 m for Struthiosaurus).
Sauropelta edwardsorum Ostrom, 1970 Aptian-Albian (EK) of Wyoming, Montana, and Utah Sauropelta is the best-known EK nodosaurid, based on remains from several individuals that make up most of a skeleton and skull.  It had four distinctive pairs of spines projecting up from the neck, and a very long tail.  New finds of additional armor include additional tail plates and more cervical armor.
Silvisaurus condrayi Eaton, 1960 mid-late Cenomanian (LK) of Kansas Silvisaurus is based on a skull and most of the front end of a skeleton.  The skull is unique in several ways, including the short space it gives to the beak at the front.  It may have been able to make honking sounds through its nasal passages.
Edmontonia: Sternberg, 1928 E. longiceps (type) Sternberg, 1928 late middle Campanian- early Maastrichtian (LK) of Alberta and Montana Edmontonia is one of the best known nodosaurids, with at least two skulls for the type E. longiceps, and at least three skulls for E. rugosidens.  It is easily recognized by its unusual shoulder spines; there are four projecting from each shoulder region, forward and slightly downward.  The largest is sometimes split into tines, suggesting Edmontonia rivals attempted to hook into these tines in side-to-side contests of strength.  Its skull, like that of Silvisaurus, seems to have been able to make a honking sound, and has been revealed to have paranasal sinus cavities.  Also, palatal bones known as vomers were very deep, and partially divided the mouth lengthwise, which would have influenced eating.  Edmontonia was for a time considered to be the same as Panoplosaurus, but this was reversed in the late 1980s.
E. rugosidens (Gilmore, 1930 [originally Palaeoscincus]) late middle Campanian (LK) of Alberta and Montana; ?late Campanian (LK) of Texas; ?late Maastrichtian (LK) of Wyoming
?E. schlessmani (Bakker, 1988 [originally Denversaurus]) late Maastrichtian (LK) of S. Dakota ?E. schlessmani, based on a skull,  is the latest known named nodosaurid; most other nodosaurids died out before the late Maastrichtian.
E. australis (?N.D.) Ford, 2000 early late Campanian (LK) of New Mexico E. australis is based on two scutes; it could be closest to E. longiceps.
Panoplosaurus mirus Lambe, 1918 late middle Campanian (LK) of Alberta Panoplosaurus is somewhat like Edmontonia, but differs in many details, including skull armor.  It also lacks the distinctive shoulder spines of its counterpart.  Like Edmontonia, is it one of the best-known nodosaurid, with two partial skeletons and three skulls known.

Nodosauridae i.s.:

Taxon or Taxa: Time\Place: Comments:
Animantarx ramaljonesi Carpenter, Kirkland, Burge, and Bird, 1999 latest Albian-earliest Cenomanian (EK-LK) of Utah This is a small, recently-described nodosaurid, apparently very similar to Pawpawsaurus, but probably closer to Edmontonia.  Its holotype partial skull and skeleton were discovered by radiological survey.
Anoplosaurus curtonotus Seeley, 1878 late Albian (EK) of England This animal is probably a basal nodosaurid, based on the remains of a juvenile with poorly-developed armor. 
Niobrarasaurus coleii Carpenter, Dilkes, and Weishampel, 1995 (originally Hierosaurus coleii Mehl, 1936) late Coniacian-mid Santonian (LK) of Kansas First referred to the indeterminate nodosaurid Hierosaurus, then to Nodosaurus, Niobrarasaurus has only recently been recognized as distinctive in its own right.  It is based on a good chunk of a skeleton, with more remains referred, including possible shark-bit juvenile forelimb bones.
Nodosaurus textilis Marsh, 1889 mid Cenomanian (LK) of Wyoming Based upon a partial skeleton, Nodosaurus is rather obscure, but is distinctive in its relatively long lower limbs and pattern of armor.  It is sometimes thought of as lacking large spines and plates, but this is not true.
Pawpawsaurus campbelli Lee, 1996 (?Texasetes) late Albian (EK) of Texas and ?Utah This is a very basal ?nodosaurid.  It is known to have had bony eyelids, like the advanced ankylosaurine Euoplocephalus.  It may be the same as Texasetes.  Other incomplete remains from the area may belong as well.
Priconodon crassus (?N.D.) Marsh, 1888 (?Sauropelta) late Aptian-early Albian (EK) of Maryland Priconodon is a tooth taxon that may be the same as the better-known Sauropelta.  It was a large nodosaurid.
?Stegopelta landerensis Williston, 1905 latest Albian-earliest Cenomanian (EK-LK) of Wyoming Stegopelta, often considered to be a synonym of Nodosaurus, is based on partial cranial and postcranial remains including a partial maxilla, 7 cervicals, 2 dorsals, a fused sacrum, 2 caudals, scapulae, humeri, ilia, armor, and parts of the forelimbs, hands, feet, and lower legs.  It may warrant its own subfamily, Stegopeltinae, or it may be a shamosaurine ankylosaurid.  The form of the cervicals suggests a possible relationship with Texasetes.
Texasetes pleurohalio Coombs, 1995 (?Pawpawsaurus) late Albian (EK) of Texas This animal is based on a partial postcranial skeleton from the same area as the skull of Pawpawsaurus, so they may be the same animal.
Zhejiangosaurus lishuiensis Lu J., Jin X., Sheng Y., and Li Y., 2007 Cenomanian (LK) of China This large nodosaurid is based on skeletal remains including the sacrum, partial pelvis, both hindlimbs, and caudal vertebrae.
Zhongyuansaurus luoyangensis Xu L., Lu J., Zhang X., Jia S., Hu W., Zhang J., Wu Y., and Ji Q., 2007 early LK of China Zhongyuansaurus is known from at least skull, forelimb, and pelvic material, and is distinguished by characters including a skull length/width ratio of 1.4:1, a flat roof of the skull, a straight ischium, and where muscle attachments are located on the humerus.  

 

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