Silvisaurus by Moondawg

Silvisaurus, from the Latin silva "wood" and Greek saurus "lizard", is a nodosaurid ankylosaur from the middle Cretaceous of Kansas.

The holotype was recovered by T. H. Eaton from the University of Kansas from exposures of the Dakota Formation (late Aptian-early Cenomanian) in Kansas, and consists of an incomplete skeleton with skull and sacrum. To date, Silvisaurus includes only the type species, S. condrayi.

Based on these remains, the animal is estimated to have been approximately four meters in length (13 ft). Its skull measures 33 centimeters in length (13 in) and is 25 centimeters wide (10 in). The osseous secondary palate is poorly developed in Silvisaurus, the dentary includes at least twenty-five teeth, the basal tubera of the basiocciptial are bulbous, and each premaxilla holds eight to nine teeth. Besides the usual rounded and polygonal osteoderms, Silvisaurus may have also sported bony spines on its shoulders and tail.

This taxon represents a relatively primitive nodosaurid, and Vickaryous et al. (2004) have stated that "Sauropelta edwardsorum, Silvisaurus condrayi, and Pawpawsaurus campbelli form a basal polytomy nested deep to Cedarpelta."