Shamosaurus

Shamosaurus was one of the first ankylosaurs found in the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia. Its skeleton was discovered in 1977 by a Soviet-Mongolian expedition.2

Its name comes from the Mandarin Chinese words 'sha mo', meaning 'sand desert', because it was found in the Gobi Desert.2

Shamosaurus had two half-rings of armour around its neck, each made of six bony segments. These helped protect it from predators.2

The skull of Shamosaurus was flat and wide, with small, rounded horns at the back corners. Its eye sockets were large and oval-shaped.2

Shamosaurus is very similar to another ankylosaur called Gobisaurus, but Shamosaurus had a longer row of teeth in its upper jaw and a more sculptured skull roof.2

The only known skull of Shamosaurus is kept at the Palaeontological Institute in Moscow, Russia, where it is on display.2