Einiosaurus
Einiosaurusp procurvicornis
Pronounced:
ie-nee-o-SAWR-us
Diet:
Herbivore (Plant-Eater)
Name Means:
"Forward Curving Horn"
Length:
16 Feet (6m)
Height:
5 feet (2.6 m)
Weight:
1 Ton (1,800 kilos)
Time:
Late Cretaceous (70 MYA)
Fossil remains for this Dinosaur have been found in Western United States
Einiosaurus
was a member of
the Ceratopsian
family, highly
successful
plant-eating
animals from the
Late Cretaceous.
While many
members of this
family are known
for having hard
neck frills,
spikes, and
horns, the
Einiosaurus was
one of the most
remarkable of
the ceratopsians
with its nose
horn that looked
like a giant can
opener.
Looking at an Einiosaurus
from the front, the most
impressive feature would have
been the horn growing on its
short snout. This horn was long
and narrow, and curved down and
directly ahead of the animal.
Behind the head was a bone frill
that contained two large spikes
sticking up from the top. This
would present a formidable
appearance for any predators
approaching Einiosaurus.
Bone-bed evidence indicates
that Ceratopsae moved in
single-species herds, unlike
other herbivorous dinosaurs who
appear to have traveled in mixed
herds. This may mean that
Einiosaurus had defensive herd
behavior, shielding the young
inside the herd by forming a
circle whenever danger
threatened.
The major controversy
concerning the Ceratopsae is the
way in which they stood. It is
not clear if they had an upright
posture like elephants, or a
sprawling posture like lizards.
The more upright posture would
indicate greater speed in
relation to predator dinosaurs,
but would require the Ceratopsae
to have narrow rib cages. A
sprawling posture would allow
for a bigger rib cage that was
more common among herbivores,
but would make the animals
slower and more vulnerable to
attack. The horns and spikes
were not of much use as
defensive weapons. |
