Styracosaurus

Styracosaurus ^* ("spiked reptile" from Classical Greek "styrax/στυραξ" "spike at the butt-end of a spear-shaft" & "saurus/σαυρος" "lizard") was a herbivorous dinosaur from the Cretaceous period, about 77 to 74 million years ago. It had six long horns extending from its neck frill, a smaller horn above each of its eyes, and a single horn protruding from its nose at 60 centimeters (2 feet) long and 15 centimeters (6 inches) wide. It was a large dinosaur, reaching lengths of 5 meters (18 feet) and weighing as much as 3 tons. It stood about 1.8 meters (6 feet) tall. The Styracosaurus possessed four short legs and a bulky body. Its tail was rather short. It also had a beak and flat cheek teeth, indicating that its diet was herbivorous. Like other ceratopsians, this dinosaur was most likely to have been a herd animal, traveling in large groups and caring for its young after they hatched. Evidence of herding behavior exists in the discovery of a bone bed in Arizona, USA with about 100 Styracosaurus fossils.

Discoveries and species

The first fossil remains of Styracosaurus were collected in Alberta, Canada by C.M. Sternberg, from an area now known as the Dinosaur Provincial Park and named by Lambe in 1913.

The second currently recognised species,S. ovatus, from Montana, was described by Gilmore in 1930. The fossil material is limited but one unusual feature is that the pair of spikes closest to the midline converge towards the midline, rather than away from it as in S. albertensis.

Styracosaurus Species

S. albertensis
S. ovatus

Misassignments:

S. parksi (limited fossil material, probably S. albertensis)

References

External links

Ceratopsians | Cretaceous dinosaurs | North American dinosaurs

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Discoveries and species

References

External links