Gastonia was an armored herbivore discovered in Greater Utah County and was named by James Kirkland in 1998. They lived in North America during the Early Cretaceous period, about 125 million years ago. It was a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur closely related to Polacanthus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gastonia was 15 feet long, almost as long as a train car, 5 feet tall, and weighed about 3,000 pounds, evolved into a large suit of armor to protect its soft, vulnerable underbelly. It was heavily armored and had short legs, making it difficult to attack. It had a myriad of spikes on its back, it even had spikes on its tail, a good defense against Utahraptor or any other carnivore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gastonia ate mainly plants and low leaves. They were hunted by Utahraptor but had to flip the animal onto its back, exposing its fleshy belly. The brain was the size of a chicken egg; it lacked intelligence or speed. Gastonia, however, had spines and defensive barbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n