Centrosaurus (pronounced /ˌsɛtrɵˈsɔrəs/ SEN-tro-SAWR-əs) is an extinct genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous of North America that lived approximately 75 million years ago.
Description[]
The massive bodies of Centrosaurus were borne by stocky limbs, although at up to 18–20 ft (6 m) they were not particularly large dinosaurs. Like other centrosaurines, Centrosaurus bore single large horns over their noses. These horns curved forwards or backwards depending on the specimen. Skull ornamentation was reduced as animals aged.
Centrosaurus is distinguished by having two large hornlets which hook forwards over the frill. A pair of small upwards directed horns is also found over the eyes. The frills of Centrosaurus were moderately long, with fairly large fenestrae and small hornlets along the outer edges.
Discovery[]
The first Centrosaurus remains were discovered by paleontologist Lawrence Lambe in strata along the Red Deer River in Alberta, Canada. Later, vast bonebeds of Centrosaurus were found in Dinosaur Provincial Park, also in Alberta. Some of these beds extend for hundreds of meters and contain thousands of individuals of all ages and all levels of completion. Scientists have speculated that the high density and number of individuals would be explained if they had perished while trying to cross a flooded river. A discovery of thousands of Centrosaurus fossils near the town of Hilda, Alberta, is believed to be the largest bed of dinosaur bones ever discovered. The area is now known as the Hilda mega-bonebed.
The species C. brinkmani, which was described in 2005, was moved to the new genus Coronosaurus in 2012.
Classification[]
Centrosaurus is a member of the Centrosaurinae family of dinosaurs. Just like Brachyceratops, Xenoceratops, Monoclonius, Coronosaurus, Styracosaurus, Spinops, Avaceratops, Diabloceratops, Nasutoceratops, Machairoceratops, Albertaceratops, Sinoceratops, Wendiceratops, Einiosaurus, Achelousaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Crittendenceratops, Yehuecauhceratops, Stellasaurus, Menefeeceratops, and Furcatoceratops.