Chasmosaurus
Chasmosaurus belli
Pronounced:
KAZ - moe - sawr - us
Diet:
Herbivore (Plant-Eater)
Name Means:
"chasm lizard"
Length:
16 Feet (5 m)
Height:
10 Feet (3 m)
Weight: 3
tons (2700 kilos)
Time:
Cretaceous - 75 million years ago
Fossil remains for this Dinosaur have been found in North America
Chasmosaurus was
the oldest of the
long-frilled, horned
ceratopsian
dinosaurs, whose
family includes
Triceratops
It was a
medium-sized plant
eater that had a
long neck frill with
large holes in the
bone and narrow
structures to
support the weight
of the frill. It
would have had skin
stretched over the
holes in its frill.
Chasmosaurus had
medium-sized horns
over its eyes, and a
smaller nose horn.
Judging from the monotypic bone beds of
the Chasmosaurus fossils, this animal
traveled in single species herds. Since the
frill of a Chasmosaurus would not be a very
effective defensive weapon, there is
speculation that it may have been used for
identification and attracting mates. New
discoveries suggest the possibility that
Chasmosaurus and
Pentaceratops might belong in the
same genus. |
