| Centrosaurus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Name | Centrosaurus | |||
| Order | Ornithischia | |||
| Suborder | Cerapoda | |||
| Class | Ceratopsia | |||
| Name Translation | Pointed Lizard | |||
| Period | Middle/Late Cretaceous | |||
| Location | Canada | |||
| Diet | Herbivore | |||
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[]
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.
Discovery and naming[]
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.
Classification[]
The genus Centrosaurus gives its name to the Centrosaurinae subfamily.
Paleobiology[]
Like other ceratopsids, the jaws of Centrosaurus were adapted to shear through tough plant material.
Paleobiogeography[]
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.
In popular culture[]
- Centrosaurus appeared in Planet of Dinosaurs.
- Centrosaurus appeared in Dink the little Dinosaur.
- Centrosaurus appeared in Dinosaur! with Walter Cronkite.
- Centrosaurus appeared in Dinosaur Babes.
- A Centrosaurus skull is seen in The Museum of Natural History in We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story.
- A baby Centrosaurus appeared in the 1998 version of The Lost World.
- A skeleton of Centrosaurus was seen in Disney’s Dinosaur.
- A migrating herd of Centrosaurus appeared in Planet Dinosaur Episode 3, Last Killers.
- A herd of Centrosaurus appeared in Adventures of Ceratops - Part 1.
Gallery[]
Centrosaurus/Gallery