Pachyrhinosaurus

***Pachyrhinosaurus*** (name meaning "*Thick-Nosed Lizard*") is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America. A relative of *Triceratops* that measured 7 meters long and weighed 4 tons, *Pachyrhinosaurus* was one of the largest members of the ceratopsian family.

In the Series 2 episode "***Super Croc II: River of Death***," a herd of *Pachyrhinosaurus* were brought to the park from Late Cretaceous Alberta, 75 million years ago. They reside in the Ceratopsian Grasslands Enclosure with other ceratopsians. One of the herd members includes a two male brothers named Patchi and Scowler, and a female named Juniper.

## Facts

### Era & Discovery

*Pachyrhinosaurus* lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period, from 73 – 65 million years ago. It lived alongside dinosaurs and other creatures like *Troodon*, *Parksosaurus*, *Parasaurolophus*, *Edmontosaurus*, *Quetzalcoatlus*, *Albertosaurus*, and *Gorgosaurus*. It died out with all other dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous. *Pachyrhinosaurus* was discovered in 1950 by Charles Mortram Sternberg.

### Physical Attributes

*Pachyrhinosaurus* was one of the largest ceratopsians. A typical adult grew to measure about 23 – 26 feet (7 – 8 m) long, stood over 7 feet (2.2 m) tall and weighed about as much as 4 tons (8,000 lbs.). These herbivores possessed strong cheek teeth to help them chew tough, fibrous plants. *Pachyrhinosaurus* was also relatively fast for a dinosaur of their size, let alone for a ceratopsian, running at speeds as fast as 25 mph.

Unlike more famous horned dinosaurs, like *Triceratops* and *Torosaurus*, *Pachyrhinosaurus* bore a massive, flattened nasal boss over its nose and smaller bosses over its eyes instead of possessing horns. The bosses over the nose and eyes nearly grew together and were separated only by a narrow groove. Their frill bore two additional small, curved, prominent, backward-pointed horns that grew from the frill and extended upwards. The presence of these horns varied by age or sex.

The bosses over the nose and eyes of *Pachyrhionosaurus* nearly grew together and were separated only by a narrow groove. The two bosses were separated by a wide gap. The frill bore two additional small, curved, backward-pointed horns.

Various ornaments of the nasal boss have also been used to distinguish between different species of *Pachyrhinosaurus*. Both *P. lakustai* and *P. perotorum* bore a jagged, comb-like extension at the tip of the boss which was missing in *P. canadensis*. *P. perotorum* was unique in having a narrow dome in the middle of the back portion of the nasal boss, and *P. lakustai* had a pommel-like structure projecting from the front of the boss (the boss of *P. canadensis* was mainly flat on top and rounded). *P. perotorum* bore two unique, flattened horns which projected forward and down from the top edge of the frill, and *P. lakustai* bore another comb-like horn arising from the middle of the frill behind the eyes.

### Behavior & Traits

Like all members of the ceratopsian family, *Pachyrhinosaurus* traveled in large herds. During jousting tournaments, in a similar manner to *Pachycephalosaurus*, *Pachyrhinosaurus* males would ram into each other's heads while fighting. Sometimes against a predator, *Pachyrhinosaurus* would ram into those predators as a fighting mechanism.

The females also cared greatly for their young. For example, like birds, female *Pachyrhinosaurus* would find food on the forests and bring them back to their offspring back at the nesting site.

## Trivia

* The sound effects of *Pachyrhinosaurus* are that of buffalo, bull, and cow sound effects.
* Pachyrhinosaurus is the second largest ceratopsian brought to the park.