Scutellosaurus described in greater detail

[Halichoeres]

For those unfamiliar, Scutellosaurus is a tiny early thyreophoran, the only bipedal member of the clade, known from dozens of mostly disarticulated skeletons found in early Jurassic rocks in the Navajo Nation (Arizona, USA). This detailed anatomical work has been in the works for over a decade, and is most welcome, especially coming on the heels of last year's redescription of the more derived Scelidosaurus. The authors find evidence that it grew slowly, consistent with the idea that thyreophorans generally had slower metabolisms than other ornithischians.

Lots of figures like this one of the dentary (main bone of the lower jaw):


And a characteristically masterful reconstruction by Gabriel Ugueto:


Breeden et al., open access in Royal Society Open Science: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.201676

If this were a theropod, I'd reckon next year there'd be four new figures of it. But for a small ornithischian...

[Newt]

Ooh, I've been waiting for this! Now if someone will just find more remains of the mysterious other thyreophoran from the Kayenta, so far known only from osteoderms. It has historically been referred to "Scelidosaurus spp.", but Norman says it ain't Scelidosaurus.

[Faelrin]

Saw the artwork already, because I follow him on instagram. Absolutely love it. And like Scelidosaurus, another one I long to add into my collection. Glad to see the article is open access too. Will be very helpful to have.

[austrosaurus]

Ooh, I've been waiting for this! Now if someone will just find more remains of the mysterious other thyreophoran from the Kayenta, so far known only from osteoderms. It has historically been referred to "Scelidosaurus spp.", but Norman says it ain't Scelidosaurus.

It almost certainly isn't Scelidosaurus, given it's ~10-15 million years younger. Referring to it as thyreophora or thyreophoroidea indet. is probably the way to go here.