RE: Plate arrangement on Stegosaurus Stenops

["Dan Lipkowitz" <lipkowit@midway.uchicago.edu>]

I was allowed to take a quick peek at the dinosaur hall-in-progress at the
Denver Museum the summer before last, and the new mount there definitely
shows two staggered rows of plates (17 of them, I believe). The tail spikes
were oriented horizontally with a slight caudal pitch. The "basket" of throat
armor was also mounted, and they were working on the dermal scutes (I'm not
positive where along the flanks these were to be placed).  I was informed
by the preparators that the specimen was found in a condition which verified
this arrangement (I certainly hope so, since I based the _S. stenops_ on my
dinosaur placemat on this mount), and I've noticed that subsequent stegosaur
displays (e.g. the juvenile model at the AMNH) have been influenced by the
Denver specimen.

  Dan Lipkowitz