Which dinosaur is known for a row of bony plates on its back?

Which dinosaur is known for a row of bony plates on its back? Stegosaurus is the canonical answer.

Stegosaurus was a plant-eating, four-legged dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic, roughly 155 to 145 million years ago. Its most recognizable feature was a double row of large, kite-shaped plates rising along its back, along with two pairs of long spikes at the end of its tail.

The plates were osteoderms: skin structures with a bony core, rather than parts of the internal skeleton. Their exact function remains debated. They may have helped with display, species recognition, temperature regulation, or a combination of these roles. The tail spikes were more clearly suited to defense and are sometimes nicknamed a “thagomizer.”

A common mix-up is Ankylosaurus, which was also armored but had a heavy body covered with smaller plates and a powerful tail club. Stegosaurus is especially associated with upright back plates, while Triceratops is identified by its horns and frill.