**Silvisaurus**
Silvisaurus is a type of dinosaur that lived during the Early to Late Cretaceous period, around 104 to 93.5 million years ago. It is part of a group known as ankylosaurs, specifically the nodosaurs.
The name Silvisaurus means “woodland lizard.” It is named because scientists believe it lived in a densely forested area.
**Discovery**
A fossil of Silvisaurus was found in the 1950s by a rancher named Warren W. Condray in Wells, Kansas. He discovered the bones and reported them to a local senator. This led to paleontologist Russell R. Camp from the University of Kansas coming to investigate.
In 1955, Camp and Condray worked to recover the skeleton. By 1960, a researcher named Theodore H. Eaton Jr. officially described and named the species **Silvisaurus condrayi** in honor of Condray. The fossil skeleton is not completely intact but contains important parts like the skull and some vertebrae.
**Description**
Silvisaurus was about 4 meters (13 feet) long. Its skull measured approximately 33 centimeters (13 inches) in length. The dinosaur had teeth in the front of its jaw, which suggests that it was a more primitive type of nodosaur, as later nodosaurs had beaks with no teeth.
In addition to its teeth, Silvisaurus was likely covered in bony plates and spikes for protection. Its head had large air passages, which may have helped it make loud sounds to communicate with others.
**Classification**
Silvisaurus is recognized as a more primitive member of the nodosaur family, making it unique among its relatives. It helps scientists understand the evolution of dinosaurs and their different types.
Today, Silvisaurus is an important part of Kansas’s natural history and was made the official state land fossil in 2023.