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"Only now do we know the true story- Megarachne was a giant prehistoric sea scorpion." |
Ceratosaurus was the total package among Jurassic predators. This dinosaur was big enough to scare even the giant allosaurus away from its kills, but small enough to be agile and chase after fast prey. With sharp teeth and claws, plus a pointy horn, ceratosaurus had some of the best weapons of its time.
Dragon Dino: A small ridge of bony plates ran down this beast's spine from head to tail, like a mythical dragon. These plates helped regulate ceratosaurus' body temperature; they also looked threatening and helped intimidate enemies.
Helping Horn: Ceratosaurus was one of few meat-eating dinos to have a horn on its head. Small but sharp, this horn was an effective weapon against prey and enemies, including potential predators and also rival males of the same species.
Herbivore Hunter[]
This fossilized skull still contains sharp teeth and fangs the dino once used to nail a victim..
Ceratosaurus was about half the size of the largest Jurassic predators, but this dinosaur had superior hunting skills to ensure it rarely missed a meal. Long, heavily muscled legs propelled the beast at high speeds, allowing it to catch fast, two-legged plant-eaters. Plus, ceratosaurus was just small enough to find cover and wait in ambush for big herbivores, such as stegosaurus. Its sharp teeth, claws and horn helped finish off victims.
Something's Stinky: Meat from a big kill would have fed this dino for several days, but the smell of the carcass would have attracted larger predators, including the fearsome allosaurus. Though smaller, ceratosaurus could have waved its horn as a threat and scared off its enemy.
This Just In: Scientists have recently discovered that some predatory dinos, including ceratosaurus, had a thick, bony covering on their faces. This would have protected their eyes and snouts during fights with other dinos.
Full Arsenal[]
Waiting for the perfect moment to pounce, ceratosaurus springs from cover to attack a large stegosaurus. The plant-eater swings its spiked tail at its attacker, but ceratosaurus is quick enough to get out of the way, biting with six-inch teeth and stabbing with its horn as it runs circles around its prey, which quickly slows down and dies from loss of blood.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The Ceratosaurus shares its species name, nasicornis, with the Rhinoceros Viper.
- The ceratosaurus is featured in Fossil Finders on Monster Mania 42.
- The skull used for Fossil Finders is the same one as the one on the back of the knowledge card.
- Modern paleontology considers the hypothesis that the horn and osteoderms were for display to be far more likely than the alternatives mentioned here (that the horn was a weapon and the osteoderms regulated temperature).