Centrosaurus | Facts & Information

75 million years ago, during the Upper Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era, the territory where North America is today lived Centrosaurus. This herbivorous dinosaur had the impressive appearance of a giant rhino by its massive Horn positioned right on the tip of its snout and two other horns placed above its eyes.

In Alberta, Canada, the fossil remains belonged to hundreds of such dinosaurs of all sizes and ages and were scattered in different places, indicating that some herds may have died while trying to cross a river to escape flooding.

The animals followed the leader of the herd and were probably swept away by the masses of water. Later their meat was eaten by other predatory dinosaurs and so the bones were thrown in different places, mixed with each other.

In 1940 paleontologist Sternberg described the species Centrosaurus longiristis, and in 2005 Russell presented the species Centrosaurus brinkmani. The difference between them consisted primarily in the collar in the form of a shield that was bordered with bone cufflinks (two of which stretched slightly in front) and which constituted a good defense weapon against predatory dinosaurs.

Although this structure was apparently complicated, the head as a defense system had mobility well supported by highly developed musculature – well anchored to the massive skeleton. The Shield had two openings protected by a layer of thick skin – this reduced its weight somewhat.

The huge nasal Horn, sharp at the tip and curved towards the back, managed to balance the weight of the shield and thus the animal kept its head upright.

The length of this prehistoric animal was estimated to have been 6 m, and the weight of about. 2.7 tons. The forelimbs were almost as muscular and robust as the hind ones, which showed that his gait was quadruped, and the small tail did not serve as a counterweight as in other dinosaurs that ran only on the hind limbs.

Centrosaurus Feed

It lived in wooded areas, and its food consisted of plants, which it tore off with its horny beak and cut them with sharp teeth, arranged in strings on powerful jaws.