Styracosaurus

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***Styracosaurus*** is a genus of ceratopsid dinosaur that originated from Late Cretaceous North America. *Styracosaurus* fossils are first unlocked on Isla Muerta through Entertainment Division objectives where they can then be excavated in the Dinosaur Park Formation and Laramie Formation.

The *Styracosaurus* was first added to the game with the *Deluxe Dinosaur Pack*.

## History

*Styracosaurus* was not planned to be a featured dinosaur in the original *Jurassic Park* on Isla Nublar, and no populations were reported by InGen on either Nublar or their Site B facility on Isla Sorna in 1996. The species appears to have been present in *Jurassic World* on Isla Nublar and, as of 2018, it has been revealed that the island's *Styracosaurus* population was the victim of an unconfirmed form of cruelty.

## Characteristics

Measuring over five meters in length and weighing almost two tons, *Styracosaurus* is a medium to large-sized ceratopsian dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America with distinctive, lengthy horns protruding from its large neck frill and single horn protruding from its snout. Its name translates into "*Spiked Lizard*". They are believed to have lived in herds, and travelled in large groups for protection and foraging for food. Its tough beak and shearing cheek teeth would have been ideal for slicing up plant matter. The dinosaur's base cosmetic genome is a lightish-brown, with dark green spots along its back with a hint of orange on the frill.

Unlocked in the early to mid-game, *Styracosaurus* is similar to other early game ceratopsians such as *Sinoceratops* in terms of requirements with a modest grassland requirement and negligible forest needs.

### Behaviour

Like all other ceratopsians, *Styracosaurus* will engage in a death duel with large and medium carnivores such as *Tyrannosaurus* and *Albertosaurus* if provoked.

A social animal, *Styracosaurus* must forms pairs or small herds between two and five individuals to satisfy its comfort requirements. They can tolerate a fair number of other dinosaurs, making it ideal to mix them with other ceratopsians or unrelated species. Additionally, *Styracosaurus* is capable of living somewhat peacefully alongside small carnivores such as *Deinonychus* and *Dilophosaurus*, only occasionally engaging in non-fatal territorial fights.

*Styracosaurus* will, as all herbivores do, socialize with others of its own species on occasion.

## Paleontology

The first *Styracosaurus* fossils were discovered in 1913 by C.M. Sternberg and Lawrence Lambe in Alberta, Canada, on a site that is now known as the rich Dinosaur Park Formation. Further remains, including a nearly complete skeleton, were found close to the location of the original discovery by Barnum Brown two years later. Other species of *Styracosaurus* have since been found in other locations like the Two Medicine Formation in Montana. There were once many species of *Styracosaurus* found throughout eastern North America from Montana to Canada, but many have now been assigned to new genera such as *Rubeosaurus* and *Einiosaurus*.

Along with *Sinoceratops*, they are part of the centrosaurine branch of ceratopsids which are categorized by their nose-horn being larger than their brow horns. *Styracosaurus* also had common features to those found in all ceratopsians; a beaked mouth with powerful molars for grinding down plant matter and cheek pouches to store food for chewing. It is currently unclear whether their frills are merely features of display or if they served as a form of protection against predators, though the latter is generally considered more likely because the smaller stature of the *Styracosaurus* would have made it vulnerable to larger predators.

### Paleoecology

*Styracosaurus* lived in groups in a region of the coastal rivers and floodplains of what is now Canada, around 70-75 million years ago. There, it lived alongside other dinosaurs such as the hadrosaurs *Parasaurolophus*, *Corythosaurus*, and *Lambeosaurus*, the armoured *Euoplocephalus* and *Edmontonia*, other ceratopsians such as *Centrosaurus* and *Chasmosaurus*, as well as the tyrannosaurs *Gorgosaurus* and *Albertosaurus*. Like many other ceratopsians of its time, it lived along the Western Interior Seaway, in which they became more swamp-like as the seaway encroached deeper inland. Its seasons were wetter and drier than the modern equivalent, and there was plentiful plant life including conifers.

## Skins

 NULL

 ALPINE

 COASTAL

 JUNGLE

 RAINFOREST

 WETLAND

## References

1. ↑ *What Killed the Gene Guard Act?*. (February 23, 2018). Dinosaur Protection Group. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
2. ↑ Dinosaur Protection Group. (2018). *Dinosaurs Are Mortal. Cruelty Is Timeless.* [Poster]. Retrieved March 20, 2021.