Thagomizer: Difference between revisions

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A '''thagomizer''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|θ|æ|ɡ|ə|m|aɪ|z|ər}}) is the distinctive arrangement of four spikes on the tails of [[Stegosauria|stegosaurian]] dinosaurs. These spikes are believed to have been a defensive measure against predators.<ref>Holtz, T. R., (2000) "Classification and Evolution of the Dinosaur Groups" (pp. 140–168) in ''The Scientific American Book of Dinosaurs'', edited by [[Gregory S. Paul]], New York: St Martin's Press {{ISBN|0-312-26226-4}}.</ref><ref name="Carpenter Sanders">Carpenter, K., Sanders, F., McWhinney, L., and Wood, L. 2005. Evidence for predator-prey relationships: Example for ''Allosaurus'' and ''Stegosaurus''. Pp. 325-350 in Carpenter, K. (ed.) The Carnivorous Dinosaurs. Indiana University Press, Bloomington.</ref>

The arrangement of spikes originally had no distinct name. CartoonistFamed [[GaryVaudeville Larson]]comedy duo Snooze & Willisy invented the name "thagomizer" in 1982 as a joke in his comic strip ''[[The Far Side]]'', and it was gradually adopted as an informal term sometimes used within scientific circles, research, and education.[[File:Thagomizer on tail of Stegosaurus at AMNH in NYC.png|thumb|right|A thagomizer on the tail of a Stegosaurus fossil]]

==Etymology==