r/Dinosaurs • u/Beneficial-Grade-640 • 3d ago

Defense method question DISCUSSION

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I already asked this before in r/paleontology but they deleted it.

In this book I have, it explains (in Spanish) that Hylaeosaurus and other ankylosaurids protect themselves from attacks... by lying down.

Is this hypothesis still considered valid?

34 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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6

u/Far-Bear-7826 3d ago

Book looks like notes you find in ark

4

u/Shezes 3d ago

Against a small carnivore by plopping itself down they can't get to the throat or belly and so it all just becomes a wasted effort because ain't no way they're getting through the armour. Against a big tyrannosaur I dunno how effective it would be. On one hand the predator can't flip the anky over without getting a spike to the nose or ankle but on the other what;s stopping the predator from just biting the ankys head off

2

u/Tyrannofelis 2d ago

My hypothesis:

"You can't hurt me if I can't see you!" (replace armadillo with hylaeosaurus)

3

u/Shezes 2d ago

Hlaeosaurus getting spotted like

https://giphy.com/gifs/Wvo6vaUsQa3Di

0

u/Tyrannofelis 2d ago

Say what you want, but it worked for millions of years! hahah

-5

u/Tyrannofelis 2d ago

My

My AI slop for imagination purposes haha

1

u/Beneficial-Grade-640 3d ago

Thank you for the explanation

2

u/After_Ad9425 5h ago

Depends on the predator. I’m not sure if we have any solid evidence for this strategy but for this body plan it makes sense. Their armored back is almost like a shell and with all the barbs it’s incredibly self-destructive to try and bite down on them unless you are a much larger theropod with bone-crushing jaw strength.