Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Stegosauria

Reptilia

Taxonomy
Stegosauria was named by Marsh (1877). It is not extant. It was considered monophyletic by Maidment et al. (2008).

It was reranked as the infraorder Stegosauria by Quenstedt (1882), Van Den Broeck (1900) and Ulansky (2014); it was reranked as the order Stegosauria by Dollo (1885) and Bakker and Galton (1974); it was synonymized subjectively with Ornithopoda by Lydekker (1888); it was reranked as the superfamily Stegosauria by Zittel (1890) and Woodward (1898); it was reranked as the infraorder Stegosauri by Gadow (1897); it was corrected as Stegosauri by Gadow (1898), Gadow (1901) and Perrier (1928); it was synonymized subjectively with Stegosauroidea by Hay (1902); it was synonymized subjectively with Stegosauroidae by Hay (1930); it was reranked as the family Stegosauria by Huene (1954); it was reranked as the unranked clade Stegosauria by Baur (1887), Buchholz (2002), Sánchez-Hernández et al. (2007), Butler et al. (2008), Maidment et al. (2008), Han et al. (2012) and Dieudonné et al. (2020).

It was assigned to Reptilia by Marsh (1877) and Marsh (1877); to Dinosauri by Quenstedt (1882); to Dinosauria by Marsh (1881), Marsh (1882), Dollo (1884), Marsh (1885) and Lydekker (1885); to Dinosauria by Marsh (1884), Dollo (1885) and Winkler (1893); to Predentata by Marsh (1894), Marsh (1895) and Marsh (1896); to Ornithopoda by Woodward (1898); to Orthopoda by Baur (1887), Zittel (1890), Gadow (1897), Van Den Broeck (1900) and Lull (1912); to Praedentata by Hennig (1915); to Orthopoda by Gadow (1898), Gadow (1901) and Perrier (1928); to Ornithischia by Swinton (1934); to Enoplosauria by Swinton (1970); to Ornithischia by Bakker and Galton (1974); to Orbitoscuta by Bakker (1986); to Ornithischia by Lull (1915), Matthew (1915), Lull (1921), Lull (1924), Roxo (1937), Kuhn (1946), Lapparent (1947), Romer (1956), Delair (1960), Parsch (1963), Tatarinov (1964), Kuhn (1964), Kuhn (1966), Romer (1966), Charig (1967), Thulborn (1971), Delair (1973), Krebs (1974), Bonaparte (1978), Benton (1979), Ostrom (1980), McIntosh (1981), McGinnis (1982), Russell (1984), Maryanska and Osmólska (1985), Carroll (1988), Galton (1990) and Chure et al. (2006); to Eurypoda by Sereno (1986), Benton (1990), Sereno (1998), Sereno (1999), Galton and Upchurch (2004), Norman et al. (2004), Maidment et al. (2006) and Maidment et al. (2008); to Thyreophora by Huene (1954), Weishampel (2004), Butler et al. (2008) and Ulansky (2014); and to Thyreophora by Buchholz (2002), Sánchez-Hernández et al. (2007), Han et al. (2012) and Dieudonné et al. (2020).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1848Regnosaurus Mantell pp. 198-199
1848Regnosaurus northamptoni Mantell p. 199
1851Regnosaurus northamptoni Mantell p. 333
1853Regnosaurus Pictet p. 474
1853Regnosaurus northamptoni Pictet p. 474
1854Regnosaurus northamptoni Mantell p. 705
1874Craterosaurus Seeley
1874Craterosaurus pottonensis Seeley p. 692 figs. 1-5
1876Craterosaurus pottonensis Sauvage p. 440
1877Stegosauria Marsh
1881Stegosauria Marsh
1882Stegosauria Marsh
1882Stegosauria Quenstedt p. 188
1884Stegosauria Dollo p. 298
1884Stegosauria Marsh p. 68
1885Stegosauria Dollo p. 35
1885Stegosauria Lydekker p. 37
1885Stegosauria Marsh p. 764
1887Stegosauria Baur p. 101
1887Omosaurus durobrivensis Hulke p. 376
1888Regnosaurus Lydekker p. 53
1888Regnosaurus northamptoni Lydekker p. 184
1890Craterosaurus pottonensis Woodward and Sherborn p. 223
1890Omosaurus durobrivensis Woodward and Sherborn p. 253
1890Regnosaurus northamptoni Woodward and Sherborn p. 280
1890Craterosaurus Zittel p. 727
1890Stegosauria Zittel p. 740
1890Regnosaurus Zittel p. 743
1890Omosaurus durobrivensis Zittel p. 748
1893Omosaurus durobrivensis Seeley p. 54
1893Stegosauria Winkler p. 104
1894Stegosauria Marsh
1895Stegosauria Marsh
1896Omosaurus durobrisensis Mansel-Pleydell p. 119
1896Stegosauria Marsh p. 242
1897Stegosauri Gadow p. 205
1898Stegosauri Gadow p. 22
1898Stegosauria Woodward p. 209
1900Regnosaurus northamptoni Van Den Broeck p. 85
1900Stegosauria Van Den Broeck p. 85
1901Stegosauri Gadow p. 425
1901Craterosaurus Nopcsa p. 199
1901Craterosaurus pottoniensis Nopcsa p. 199
1901Omosaurus durobrivensis Nopcsa p. 214
1901Regnosaurus Nopcsa p. 215
1901Regnosaurus northamptoni Nopcsa p. 215
1901Omosaurus leedsi Seeley
1909Craterosaurus Huene p. 16
1909Regnosaurus Huene p. 17
1910Omosaurus vetustus Huene p. 76 fig. 7
1910Omosaurus durobrivensis Lull p. 376
1911Stegosaurus durobrinensis Nopcsa p. 40
1911Omosaurus vetustus Nopcsa p. 42
1911Craterosaurus von Zittel p. 283
1911Regnosaurus von Zittel p. 295
1912Stegosauria Lull p. 210
1915Stegosauria Hennig p. 10
1915Dacentrurus durobrivensis Hennig p. 11
1915Dacentrurus leedsi Hennig p. 11
1915Dacentrurus vetustus Hennig p. 12
1915Regnosaurus Hennig p. 14
1915Regnosaurus northamptoni Hennig p. 14
1915Stegosauria Lull p. 117
1915Stegosauria Matthew p. 32
1921Stegosauria Lull p. 123
1924Stegosauria Lull p. 241
1924Omosaurus durobrivensis Lull p. 242
1928Craterosaurus Nopcsa p. 185
1928Stegosauri Perrier p. 3118
1934Stegosauria Swinton p. 45
1937Stegosauria Roxo p. 44
1939Omosaurus durobrivensis Kuhn p. 113
1946Stegosauria Kuhn p. 66
1947Stegosauria Lapparent pp. 17-18
1954Stegosauria Huene p. 51
1956Omosaurus durobrivensis Leeds p. 35
1956Stegosauria Romer p. 632
1956Craterosaurus Romer p. 634
1957Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Hoffstetter pp. 543-545
1957Omosaurus vetustus Hoffstetter pp. 543-544
1959Chialingosaurus Young pp. 1-2 figs. 1-6
1959Chialingosaurus kuani Young pp. 1-2 figs. 1-6
1959Chialingosaurus chuhsienensis Young p. 1154
1960Stegosauria Delair p. 86
1963Stegosauria Parsch p. 4
1964Stegosauria Kuhn p. 32
1964Chialingosaurus Kuhn p. 33
1964Chialingosaurus kuani Kuhn p. 33
1964Craterosaurus Kuhn p. 33
1964Craterosaurus pottonensis Kuhn p. 33
1964Dacentrurus vetustus Kuhn p. 35
1964Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Kuhn p. 35
1964Lexovisaurus leedsi Kuhn p. 35
1964Hylaeosaurus northamptoni Kuhn p. 41
1964Stegosauria Tatarinov p. 572
1964Chialingosaurus Tatarinov p. 573
1964Craterosaurus Tatarinov p. 573
1966Stegosauria Kuhn p. 104
1966Chialingosaurus Romer p. 370
1966Craterosaurus Romer p. 370
1966Stegosauria Romer p. 370
1967Craterosaurus Charig p. 715
1967Craterosaurus pottoniensis Charig p. 715
1967Dacentrurus vetustus Charig p. 715
1967Hylaeosaurus northamptoni Charig p. 715
1967Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Charig p. 715
1967Stegosauria Charig p. 715
1970Stegosauria Swinton p. 117
1970Stegosaurus durobrivensis Swinton p. 241
1970Chialingosaurus Swinton p. 244
1971Stegosauria Thulborn p. 77 fig. 4
1973Stegosauria Delair p. 5
1974Stegosauria Bakker and Galton p. 171
1974Stegosauria Krebs p. 22
1978Stegosauria Bonaparte p. 331
1979Stegosauria Benton p. 143
1980Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Galton and Boiné p. 31
1980Lexovisaurus vetustus Galton et al. p. 41
1980Stegosauria Ostrom p. 23
1981Craterosaurus Galton p. 42
1981Craterosaurus pottonensis Galton pp. 42-43
1981Stegosauria McIntosh p. 35
1982Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Galton pp. 145-146
1982Stegosauria McGinnis p. 29
1983Chialingosaurus Dong et al. p. 95
1983Chialingosaurus kuani Dong et al. p. 96 figs. Pl. 32-34
1983Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Galton p. 2
1983Monkonosaurus Zhao p. 301
1984Chialingosaurus He p. 74
1984Chialingosaurus kuani He p. 74
1984Stegosauria Russell p. 29
1985Craterosaurus Galton p. 213 fig. 11
1985Craterosaurus pottonensis Galton p. 213 fig. 11
1985Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Galton p. 236 figs. 4, 19, 21-22
1985Lexovisaurus vetustus Galton p. 246 fig. 15
1985Stegosauria Maryanska and Osmólska pp. 139-141 fig. 1
1985Chialingosaurus kuani Zhao p. 289
1986Stegosauria Bakker p. 461
1986Stegosauria Sereno
1986Monkonosaurus lawulacus Ye et al. p. 203
1986Monkonosaurus Zhao p. 69
1986Monkonosaurus lawulacus Zhao p. 69
1986Chialingosaurus Zhou p. 36
1988Chialingosaurus Carroll
1988Craterosaurus Carroll
1988Stegosauria Carroll
1988Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Martill p. 180
1990Stegosauria Benton p. 19
1990Chialingosaurus Dong p. 260
1990Chialingosaurus kuani Dong p. 260
1990Monkonosaurus Dong p. 264
1990Monkonosaurus lawulacus Dong p. 264
1990Chialingosaurus Galton
1990Chialingosaurus kuani Galton
1990Craterosaurus Galton
1990Craterosaurus pottonensis Galton
1990Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Galton
1990Stegosauria Galton
1990Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Galton pp. 185-186
1991Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Buffetaut et al. p. 24
1992Regnosaurus northamptoni Cheevely and Chapman p. 334
1992Chialingosaurus kuani Dong p. 85
1992Chialingosaurus Dong p. 166
1992Monkonosaurus Dong p. 166
1992Monkonosaurus lawulacus Dong p. 166
1993Chialingosaurus Olshevsky and Ford
1993Chialingosaurus kuani Olshevsky and Ford
1993Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Olshevsky and Ford
1993Monkonosaurus Olshevsky and Ford
1993Monkonosaurus lawulacus Olshevsky and Ford
1993Regnosaurus Olshevsky and Ford
1993Regnosaurus northamptoni Olshevsky and Ford
1994Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Dong pp. 2174-2176 figs. 1-2
1994Craterosaurus Galton p. 265
1995Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Casanovas-Cladellas et al. p. 282
1997Regnosaurus Norman p. 785
1997Regnosaurus northamptoni Norman p. 785
1997Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Smith p. 509
1998Craterosaurus Blows p. 33
1998Craterosaurus pottonensis Blows p. 33
1998Regnosaurus Blows p. 33
1998Regnosaurus northamptoni Blows p. 33
1998Stegosauria Sereno p. 61
1999Chialingosaurus guangyuanensis Li et al.
1999Stegosauria Sereno p. 2138 fig. 2
2001Regnosaurus Blows p. 137
2001Regnosaurus northamptoni Blows p. 137
2001Craterosaurus Blows p. 139
2001Craterosaurus pottonensis Blows p. 139
2001Chialingosaurus Carpenter et al. p. 73 fig. 3.14
2001Chialingosaurus kuani Carpenter et al. p. 73
2001Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Carpenter et al. p. 73
2001Regnosaurus Pereda Suberbiola and Galton p. 151
2001Regnosaurus northamptoni Pereda Suberbiola and Galton p. 151
2002Stegosauria Buchholz p. 20
2003Craterosaurus pottonensis Pereda Suberbiola et al. p. 147
2003Monkonosaurus lawulacus Pereda Suberbiola et al. p. 147
2003Regnosaurus northamptoni Pereda Suberbiola et al. p. 147
2003Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Pereda Suberbiola et al. p. 147
2003Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Ruiz-Omeñaca and Canudo p. 294
2004Chialingosaurus Galton and Upchurch p. 344
2004Chialingosaurus kuani Galton and Upchurch p. 344
2004Craterosaurus Galton and Upchurch p. 344
2004Craterosaurus pottonensis Galton and Upchurch p. 344
2004Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Galton and Upchurch p. 344
2004Stegosauria Galton and Upchurch p. 344
2004Monkonosaurus Galton and Upchurch p. 345
2004Monkonosaurus lawulacus Galton and Upchurch p. 345
2004Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Galton and Upchurch p. 345
2004Stegosauria Norman et al. p. 342 fig. 15.6
2004Stegosauria Weishampel p. 323
2006Stegosauria Chure et al. p. 237
2006Chialingosaurus kuani Jiang p. 11
2006Stegosauria Maidment et al. p. 951 fig. 8
2007Craterosaurus Escaso et al. p. 158
2007Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Escaso et al. p. 158
2007Craterosaurus pottonensis Escaso et al. p. 159
2007Craterosaurus pottonensis Naish and Martill p. 496
2007Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Norman et al. p. 866
2007Stegosauria Sánchez-Hernández et al. p. 204
2007Monkonosaurus lawulacus Wings et al. p. 116
2007Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Wings et al. p. 116
2008Stegosauria Butler et al. p. 20 figs. 2-4
2008Stegosauria Maidment et al. p. 390 fig. 11
2008Regnosaurus northamptoni Naish and Martill p. 615
2008Craterosaurus Naish and Martill p. 616
2008Craterosaurus pottonensis Naish and Martill p. 616
2008Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Naish and Martill p. 616
2009Craterosaurus pottonensis Galton p. 246
2011Chialingosaurus Li et al. p. 24
2011Chialingosaurus kuani Li et al. p. 24
2012Stegosauria Han et al. p. 1391 fig. 14
2013Chialingosaurus kuani Pereda-Suberbiola et al. p. 70
2013Regnosaurus Pereda-Suberbiola et al. p. 73
2013Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Ruiz-Omeñaca et al. p. 39
2014Regnosaurus northamptoni Blows and Honeysett p. 838
2014Stegosauria Ulansky p. 4
2014Amargastegos Ulansky p. 5
2014Amargastegos brevicollus Ulansky p. 5
2014Chialingosaurus Ulansky p. 5
2014Chialingosaurus kuani Ulansky p. 5
2014Craterosaurus Ulansky p. 5
2014Craterosaurus pottonensis Ulansky p. 5
2014Eoplophysis Ulansky p. 5
2014Eoplophysis vetustus Ulansky p. 5
2014Ferganastegos Ulansky p. 5
2014Ferganastegos callovicus Ulansky p. 5
2014Monkonosaurus Ulansky p. 5
2014Monkonosaurus lawulacus Ulansky p. 5
2014Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Ulansky p. 6
2014Regnosaurus Ulansky p. 6
2014Regnosaurus northamptoni Ulansky p. 6
2014Saldamosaurus Ulansky p. 7
2014Saldamosaurus tuvensis Ulansky p. 7
2014Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Ulansky p. 8
2014Eoplophysis Ulansky p. 13
2014Eoplophysis vetustus Ulansky p. 13
2014Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Ulansky p. 13
2014Chialingosaurus kuani Ulansky p. 15
2014Ferganastegos Ulansky p. 15
2014Ferganastegos callovicus Ulansky p. 15
2014Chialingosaurus guangyuanensis Ulansky p. 17
2014Saldamosaurus Ulansky p. 18
2014Saldamosaurus tuvensis Ulansky p. 18
2014Regnosaurus northamptoni Ulansky p. 22
2014Amargastegos Ulansky p. 23
2014Amargastegos brevicollus Ulansky p. 23
2014Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Ulansky p. 23
2014Monkonosaurus lawulacus Ulansky p. 25
2016Chialingosaurus kuani Borinder et al. p. 64
2016Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Borinder et al. p. 65
2016Monkonosaurus lawulacus Borinder et al. p. 67
2017Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Chen p. 155
2018Chialingosaurus kauni Hao et al. p. 431
2018Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Lockley et al. p. 151
2018Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Xing et al. p. 2
2020Stegosauria Dieudonné et al.

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
RankNameAuthor
subclassEureptilia()
Romeriida
Diapsida()
Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
Crocopoda
ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
Eucrocopoda
Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
Ornithodira
Dinosauromorpha
Dinosauriformes
Dinosauria()
Ornithischia()
Genasauria
Thyreophora()
Stegosauria()
Stegosauria()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Unr. †Stegosauria Marsh 1877
show all | hide all
G. †Adratiklit Maidment et al. 2020
+
Adratiklit boulahfa Maidment et al. 2020
G. †Bashanosaurus Hui et al. 2022
+
Bashanosaurus primitivus Hui et al. 2022
G. †Deltapodus Whyte and Romano 1995
+
Deltapodus brodricki Whyte and Romano 1995
Deltapodus curriei Xing et al. 2013
Deltapodus ibericus Cobos and Royo-Torres 2010
G. †Euskelesaurus Huxley 1866
G. †Garbina Salisbury et al. 2016
+
Garbina roeorum Salisbury et al. 2016
G. †Huayangosaurus Dong et al. 1982
+
Huayangosaurus taibaii Dong et al. 1982
G. †Isaberrysaura Salgado et al. 2017
+
Isaberrysaura mollensis Salgado et al. 2017
G. †Kentrosaurus Hennig 1915
+
Kentrosaurus aethiopicus Hennig 1915
Invalid names: Doryphorosaurus Nopcsa 1916 [synonym], Kentrurosaurus Hennig 1916 [synonym]
G. †Luluichnus Salisbury et al. 2016
+
Luluichnus mueckei Salisbury et al. 2016
G. †Paranthodon Nopcsa 1929
+
Paranthodon africanus Broom 1912
+
Invalid names: Paranthodon owenii Nopcsa 1929 [synonym], Paranthodon owenii Nopcsa 1929 [synonym]
G. †Stegopodus Lockley and Hunt 1998
+
Stegopodus czerkasi Lockley and Hunt 1998
Fm. †Stegosauridae Marsh 1880
+
G. †Changdusaurus Zhao 1985
+
Subfm. †Dacentrurinae Olshevsky and Ford 1993
+
G. †Dacentrurus Lucas 1902
+
Dacentrurus armatus Marsh 1877
Invalid names: Omosaurus Owen 1875 [replaced], Omosaurus lennieri Nopcsa 1911 [nomen dubium]
G. †Miragaia Mateus et al. 2009
+
Miragaia longicollum Mateus et al. 2009
Miragaia longispinus Gilmore 1914
Invalid names: Alcovasaurus Galton and Carpenter 2016 [synonym], Natronasaurus Ulansky 2014 [synonym]
G. †Hesperosaurus Carpenter et al. 2001
+
Hesperosaurus mjosi Carpenter et al. 2001
Subfm. †Huayangosaurinae Dong et al. 1982
+
G. †Chungkingosaurus Dong et al. 1983
+
Chungkingosaurus jiangbeiensis Dong et al. 1983
+
Invalid names: Chungkingosaurus giganticus Ulansky 2014 [synonym], Chungkingosaurus magnus Ulansky 2014 [synonym]
G. †Gigantspinosaurus Ouyang 1992
+
G. †Jiangjunosaurus Jia et al. 2007
+
Jiangjunosaurus junggarensis Jia et al. 2007
G. †Loricatosaurus Maidment et al. 2008
+
Loricatosaurus priscus Nopcsa 1911
G. †Mongolostegus Tumanova and Alifanov 2018
+
Mongolostegus exspectabilis Tumanova and Alifanov 2018
G. †Priodontosaurus Romer 1966
G. †Stegosaurus Marsh 1877
+
Stegosaurus armatus Marsh 1877
Stegosaurus duplex Marsh 1887
Stegosaurus stenops Marsh 1887
Stegosaurus sulcatus Marsh 1887
Stegosaurus ungulatus Marsh 1879
Invalid names: Diracodon Marsh 1881 [synonym], Hypsirophus Cope 1878 [synonym], Stegosaurus affinis Marsh 1881 [nomen nudum], Stegosaurus armatus Marsh 1877 [nomen dubium], Wuerhosaurus Dong 1973 [synonym]
G. †Yingshanosaurus Zhou 1986
+
Invalid names: Hypsirhophidae Cope 1891 [synonym], Kentrosaurinae Nopcsa 1923 [empty], Kentrurosaurinae Nopcsa 1923 [empty], Lexovisaurus Hoffstetter 1957 [nomen dubium], Omosauridae Lydekker 1888 [synonym], Scelidosaurinae Nopcsa 1923 [empty], Siamodracon Ulansky 2014 [nomen dubium], Stegosaurinae Nopcsa 1917 [empty], Wuerhosaurus mongoliensis Ulansky 2014 [nomen dubium]
G. †Tuojiangosaurus Dong et al. 1977
+
Tuojiangosaurus multispinus Dong et al. 1977
Invalid names: Amargastegos Ulansky 2014 [nomen dubium], Chialingosaurus Young 1959 [nomen dubium], Chialingosaurus kuani Young 1959 [nomen dubium], Craterosaurus Seeley 1874 [nomen dubium], Eoplophysis Ulansky 2014 [nomen dubium], Ferganastegos Ulansky 2014 [nomen dubium], Huayangosauridae Dong et al. 1982 [empty], Lexovisaurus durobrivensis Hulke 1887 [nomen dubium], Monkonosaurus Zhao 1986 [nomen dubium], Omosaurus leedsi Seeley 1901 [nomen dubium], Regnosaurus Mantell 1848 [nomen dubium], Rigalitidae Kuhn 1961 [empty], Saldamosaurus Ulansky 2014 [nomen dubium], Wuerhosaurus ordosensis Dong 1994 [nomen dubium]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
K. A. v. Zittel 1890Wirbel platycöl oder amphieöl und wie die Extremitäten-knochen massiv, ohne innere Hohlräume. Schädel ohne Hörner. Vorderbeine sehr kurz, Hinterbeine ungemein kräftig, hoch. Schambein mit Postpubis. Füsse plantigrad, mit hufartigen Endphalangen. Hautskelet sehr stark entwickelt, aus langen Stacheln und Knochenplatten bestehend; zuweilen einen geschlossenen Rückenpanzer bildend.
H. Gadow 1898Plantigrade. With dermal armour.
H. Gadow 1901The fore- and hind-feet are plantigrade, or nearly so, the metapodials being but little elongated, with more than three functional digits. The bones of the limbs are solid. The ribs of the trunk are bifurcated, and are carried by the diapophyses of the neural arches. The body, especially the back, is protected by dermal bony plates, which are not connected with the internal skeleton.
R. S. Lull 1924Armored quadrupedal dinosaurs; skull small, with anterior part of mouth toothless; functional teeth in single row; large, forwardly placed, anterior nares, but small infraorbital fenestrae; upper temporal fenestra lacking in the Nodosauridae (Ankylosauridae}, with their broad, heavily armored skull; vertebrae amphicoelous or platycoelous and, together with extremities, very massive; fore limbs shorter than hind; feet semi-plantigrade, digits three to five, with short, hoof-like unguals; dermal armor very strongly developed, which has compelled the assumption of the quadrupedal posture as a secondary adaptation for the carrying of the great weight of the armor.
E. Perrier 1928Plantigrades; métapodes peu allongés; plus de trois doigts fonctionnels; os des membres pleins ; côtes du tronc bifurquées, portées par des diapophyses ; des arcs neuraux. Dos protégé par des plaques osseuses dermiques, parfois verticales, indépendantes du squelette interne.
S. C. R. Maidment et al. 2008All eurypods more closely related to Stegosaurus than to Ankylosaurus (Sereno 1998).

Unambiguous synapomorphies:
• Triceps tubercle and descending ridge posterolateral to the deltopectoral crest of humerus present
• Fourth trochanter absent or indistinct in adults
• Two parasagittal rows of plates or spines extending from the cervical region to the end of the tail present

Additional synapomorphies using ACCTRAN:
• Oval fossa/fenestra present on pterygoid flange of quadrate (equivocal in Gigantspinosaurus)
• Quadrate head strongly compressed transversely (equivocal in Gigantspinosaurus)
• Pedal digit III has two or fewer phalanges (equivocal in all stegosaurs except Stegosaurinae)

Additional synapomorphies using DELTRAN:
• Presence of a supra-acetabular flange of the ilium (convergent in Scelidosaurus)