Centrosaurus is an extinct genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous of Canada. Their remains have been found in the Dinosaur Park Formation and uppermost Oldman Formation, dating from 76.5 to 75.5 million years ago.
Description[]
Size comparison with human
The massive bodies of Centrosaurus were borne by stocky limbs, although at up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) 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. The frill was relatively short, being about half the skulls length, 68.8 centimeters in the eldest and largest specimens.
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. Skin impressions of Centrosaurus are known.
Discovery and naming[]
Life restoration
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[]
A large hook from the back of a Centrosaurus frill. These hooks are diagnostic of the genus.
Complete skulls arranged in ontogenetic order
The genus Centrosaurus gives its name to the Centrosaurinae subfamily. 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.
In Gregory S. Paul's (2010) Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, he synonymizes most typical centrosaurines intro Centrosaurus, transferring their epithets. For example, Styracosaurus is referred to as C. albertensis. Due to errors in the text and the unconventional taxonomy Paul leads this mass synonymization to be discredited.
Paleobiology[]
Cast of AMNH 5427, Museum of Victoria
Like other ceratopsids, the jaws of Centrosaurus were adapted to shear through tough plant material. Bonebeds of Centrosaurus suggest they are gregarious animals. These beds are located in Canada, and one notable Dinosaur Park Formation preserve Centrosaurus and Styracosaurus remains. The mass deaths may have been caused by non-herding animals gathering around a waterhole during a drought. Centrosaurus is found in lower deposits while Styracosaurus is found higher, meaning that Centrosaurus was displaced by Styracosaurus populations as time went on.
Restoration of a herd swimming, as hypothesised by mega-bonebeds
Ceratopsian ornamentation is among the most distinct type in dinosaurs. Lesions and injuries in ceratopsians are most commonly caused by intraspecific combat among themselves, in a study examining Triceratops and Centrosaurus frill injuries. The fenestrae in Centrosaurus are not built to withstand predator attacks, unlike the solid frills of Triceratops. Centrosaurus frills likely developed for species recognition, display or both.
Paleopathologies[]
A specimen of C. apertus from Dinosaur Provincial park suggests osteosarcoma in the right fibula. Analysis of the cancerous legions suggest the cancer had began to enter an aggressive stage. This would have produced a major limp and increased vulnerability to predation. However, the herd mentality of the dinosaur suggests it could have survived longer than expected alone. The individual is thought to have actually drowned in a flash flood, which produces such bonebeds. This individual is one of the few dinosaurs that preserve severe cancer in their bones.
Paleobiogeography[]
Skin impression of AMNH 5427
Thomas M. Lehman has observed that Centrosaurus fossils haven't been found outside of southern Alberta even though they are among the most abundant Judithian dinosaurs in the region. Large North America Late Cretaceous ceratopsians are known to have relatively small geographical ranges, despite their sizes and mobility. This restricted region contrasts with large herbivorous mammals, that typically span entire continents.
JPInstitute.com Description[]
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.
Dinosaur Field Guide Description[]
In the 1800s, Centrosaurus ('spur lizard") was discovered in what is now called Dinosaur Provincial Park, in Alberta, Canada. This is one of the largest dinosaur graveyards in the world. In the 1980s, paleontologists discovered the "Centrosaurus Bonebed" within the park. The bonebed contains the skeletons of thousands of Centrosaurus that perished while crossing a river during a flood. This allows scientists a rare chance to see how Centrosaurus changed as it grew old. Scientists had argued for years over whether Centrosaurus was the same animal as Monocionius. The confusion resulted from the fact that horned dinosaurs' heads changed a lot as the animals grew older. Juveniles did not have the bumps, hooks, spikes, and knobs found on the skulls of adults. The dinosaur once known as Monoclonius is now regarded as a juvenile form of Centrosaurus and other horned dinosaurs.
Fun Facts[]
One of the most common injuries in Centrosaurus skeletons is a broken tail. Apparently, it was quite common for them to get stepped on!
Trivia[]
Dinosaur Provincial Park is a World Heritage Preserve: This means that the United Nations regards this park as a treasure for the whole world.
Gallery[]
Appearance in other media[]
Jurassic Park[]
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Read more Centrosaurus on Jurassic Park Wiki |
We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story[]
A Centrosaurus skull is seen in The Museum of Natural History.
