Medusaceratops

Say it like this: “muh-DOO-suh-SEH-ruh-tops”

Medusaceratops lokii

Medusaceratops ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Late Cretaceous. Bones have been found in the United States.

Quiz me on Medusaceratops

When: Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago
Named in: 2010 · Ryan, M. J.; Russell, A. P.; Hartman, S.
Hip height: 2 m · 7 ft
Length: 6 m · 20 ft
Weight: 2.2 tonnes
Found in: the United States · Judith River
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: horned dinosaur · Ceratopsian
Family branch: Centrosaurinae

The story in short

In 2010, M. J. Ryan and colleagues published the name Medusaceratops. The name means “horned face.”

Fossils referred to Medusaceratops date to the Late Cretaceous (Campanian), roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago. Finds come from the United States, including the Judith River Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Medusaceratops at a length near 6 m, hips about 2 m high, and a body mass around 2.2 tonnes.

On the family tree it sits in Centrosaurinae, among the horned dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Achelousaurus

Achelousaurus horneri

Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago

Albertaceratops

Albertaceratops nesmoi

Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago

Avaceratops

Avaceratops lammersi

Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago