Styracosaurus is a species of ceratopsian that lived in the Late Cretaceous period. The frill at the back of its head has six large spikes, with smaller protrusions arranged beneath them. It also had one enormous horn on its snout. The skeletal parts forming the frill have two large openings to reduce weight. Therefore, the spikes and frill may not have been primarily for defense against predators, but rather for intimidating predators and other males, attracting mates, or distinguishing members of their own kind. Its teeth had a scissor-like structure, suggesting it primarily ate very fibrous and tough vegetation, although the specifics are unknown.

English Name: Styracosaurus Name Origin: Spiked Lizard Classification: Ornithischia/Ceratopsia/Ceratopsidae Size: Total length 5-5.5 meters Period of Existence: Late Cretaceous

Six showy frills

The most prominent feature of Styracosaurus is its six long frills (spikes). Along their edges are small protrusions. This characteristic is what gave the dinosaur its name. Since these frills and horns were underdeveloped in juveniles, one interpretation is that they served as visual signals to distinguish different ceratopsian species.

Bone Beds

Styracosaurus was discovered in Alberta, Canada, in 1913 by Charles Sternberg, and later described by Lawrence Lamb. Styracosaurus has also been found in bone beds (strata where large numbers of bone fossils are concentrated) in Arizona, USA, suggesting it may have been a herd animal that moved in large groups.

Imagine the size