Centrosaurus
Centrosaurus apertus
Pronounced:
Sen - tro - Sore - us
Diet:
Herbivore (Plant-Eater)
Name
Means:
"pointed lizard"
Length:
20 feet (6 m)
Height:
12 feet (3.5 m)
Weight:
15 tons (13,600 kilos)
Time:
Late Cretaceous - 75 MYA
Fossil remains for this Dinosaur have been found in North America
Another ferocious looking horned dinosaur;
Centrosaurus was large and heavily built. With a big
curved nasal horn and sharply hooked spikes on its
neck frill, an assault by Centrosaurus would likely
have resulted in giant stabbing and tearing wounds
that could be deadly to any opponent. It appears
that Centrosaurus traveled in large herds, both an
invitation and a daunting sight to the Cretaceous
predators.
Centrosaurus was a fairly
typical Ceratopsian family
member, with a heavy, stocky
body, facial horns, and a
neck frill with spikes. The
neck frill on Centrosaurus
was rather small, but it had
two wickedly hooked spikes
that curved sharply downward
to hold and tear the flesh
of taller opponents. The
brow horns were mere lumps,
and the nasal horn was long
and slightly curved like a
modern Rhinoceros.
Centrosaurus remains are
part of one of the largest
bone beds ever located, in
western Canada. Over 200
Centrosaurus individuals
have been identified, and
most of the bone bed has yet
to be uncovered. Only a few
juveniles have been located.
This may mean that predators
followed the herds, waiting
to attack the young and
weak. |
