Styracosaurus albertensis

Length: 18 feet
Height: 6 feet
Weight: 3 tons

## **Coloration:**

*Male -* Light forest green with three white rings around
 the tip of the tail, a white stripe from the bottom and halfway up the
 side of the tail continuing over the thigh, side of the belly and
shoulder underneath the neck and the sides of the frill where a black
outline separates it from the green face of the animal. The frill is
yellow-green from the top and begins thinning as it gets closer to the
horn and has a black outline. The spikes, beak, and horn are black.

*Female and juvenile (both sexes) -* Grey-green beige
mottling with a reddish-brown mottling on the frill though not as
prominent as the males and without an outline.

## **Diet:**

Styracosaurus will eat a wide range of flora including
grass, ferns, fruits and flowers, as well as tough, woody vegetation.
Its beak is very powerful, allowing this dinosaur to crack open the
shells of hard nuts and fruits, as well as crush bone. Styracosaurs will
 occasionally scavenge carrion.

## **Preferred Habitat:**

Large open areas with an excess of grass,
ferns and flowering plants. Individuals will occasionally wander into
forested areas to scavenge for fruits littered on the forest floor. When
 migrating, Styracosaurs prefer to travel via beaches and riverbanks to
 avoid the dense and treacherous jungle.

## **Social Structure:**

Large herds, Styracosaurus can often be seen alongside the herds of Triceratops.

## **Description:**

Quadrupedalal herbivore. Ceratopsian related to
the larger Triceratops. Massive nose horn and eight long spikes decorate
 the frill. Large curved beak. The spikes of the juveniles are short
and blunt.

## **Behaviors:**

Like a rhinoceros, Styracosaurus' eyesight is very
poor, and the animal relies on its heightened sense of smell to detect
food and danger. When grazing, Styracosaurs will create a circular
formation with the large healthy members on the outer rim facing
outward, while the smaller individuals, juveniles, and the other
vulnerable members of the herd feed safely within the circle. Breaching
 the barrier of horns is near impossible and any predator would be wise
 to avoid a large-sized herd, however if a threat does occur the
individuals on the outer rim will snort and bellow at the predator,
waving their large, spiky heads and their dangerous nose horns to try
and convince the predator to find an easier meal elsewhere.
Styracosaurus can flush each side of its frill with blood, resulting in a
 reddish tint. If all else fails, then charging the predator is a last
 resort; at the end of the charge the Styracosaurus will throw its head
 up to drive its horn straight into the belly of the aggressor – a move
 that often proves fatal for the predator.

Styracosaurus socialize very little with other dinosaur species,
however it does occasionally mingle with its larger relative
Triceratops. The massive, solitary sauropod Mamenchisaurus will also
sometimes seek out the herds of these spiky ceratopsians for protection.

Males battling for dominance over their herds and mating rights are
less likely to engage in physical contact than Triceratops, owing to the
 great size of their nasal horns getting in the way and having the
potential to cause serious damage. Instead the males are more inclined
to use intimidation tactics, bellowing and waving their large spiked
heads at one another and flushing blood into their frills to make them
appear brighter. Often the males with the flashiest frills and most
impressive head ornamentation earn themselves the largest harems of
females. Eggs are laid in loose forest, in bowls dug by the back feet of
 the adults. Often several females use the same nest, depositing many
eggs in a single bowl. The adults provide vegetation to help the eggs
incubate, and they remain on constant guard, often forming a ring around
 the nesting area to prevent predator access. The hatchlings are fed on
 regurgitated plant matter by the adults, growing quickly so they are
able to travel with the herd without fear of being trampled by the
adults. From then on they remain hidden at the center of the herd with
the adults on the outside, well protected from carnivores.

Styracosaurs have very large nasal cavities, which act as resonating
chambers and enables them to emit a range of very loud low frequency
wails reminiscent of a diesel freight train siren. These sounds can be
distinguished by other members of the same species as either mating
calls, general communication or distress calls. Like its larger
relative, Styracosaurus is partial to a good mud wallow.