Rhodanosaurus Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 1m |
| Length | 2.5m |
| Weight | 350 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Ankylosaur |
| Location | Europe |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 1m |
| Length | 2.5m |
| Weight | 350 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Ankylosaur |
| Location | Europe |
Rhodanosaurus was a small ankylosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 83.6 million years ago. This armoured dinosaur inhabited what is now southern France, during a time when much of Europe consisted of islands in a warm, shallow sea. However, Rhodanosaurus is considered a dubious name by most palaeontologists today, as it is based on very fragmentary fossil remains that may actually belong to other known dinosaur species.
Like other ankylosaurs, Rhodanosaurus would have been a heavily armoured, plant-eating dinosaur that walked on four sturdy legs. Based on comparisons with similar ankylosaurs from the same time period, it likely measured around 2.5 metres in length and weighed approximately 350 kilograms. Its body would have been covered in protective bony plates and spikes, providing excellent defence against the large predatory dinosaurs that shared its environment.
As a herbivore, Rhodanosaurus would have spent much of its time browsing on low-growing plants, using its small teeth to crop vegetation. Its wide body and low-slung stance would have allowed it to access plants close to the ground, whilst its armoured exterior protected it from attacks by theropod predators.
The fragmentary nature of the Rhodanosaurus fossils highlights the challenges faced by palaeontologists working with incomplete remains. Many dinosaur species from this period are known only from limited material, making it difficult to determine whether they represent distinct species or simply variations of already known dinosaurs.
Rhodanosaurus was distinguished by its heavily armoured body covered in protective bony plates and spikes. It had a low, wide build typical of ankylosaurs, with a small head and sturdy, pillar-like legs that supported its substantial weight.
Rhodanosaurus likely lived as a solitary browser, moving slowly through Late Cretaceous forests and coastal plains whilst feeding on low-growing vegetation. When threatened by predators, it would have relied on its heavy armour for protection, possibly crouching down to protect its vulnerable underside.
Rhodanosaurus was first described by Franz Baron Nopcsa in 1929. The original fossils were discovered at Southern France.