Platytholus

Say it like this: “plah-tee-THO-luhs”

Platytholus clemensi

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

Quiz me on Platytholus

When: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) · roughly 72.2 to 66 million years ago
Named in: 2022 · Horner, J. R.; Goodwin, M. B.; Evans, D. C.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 3.2 m · 10 ft
Weight: Not established
Found in: the United States · Hell Creek
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two legs
Kind: dome-headed dinosaur · Pachycephalosaur
Family branch: Pachycephalosaurinae

The story in short

Platytholus was formally named in 2022 by J. R. Horner and colleagues.

It lived in the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian), roughly 72.2 to 66 million years ago. Finds come from the United States, including the Hell Creek Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Platytholus at a length near 3.2 m.

On the family tree it sits in Pachycephalosaurinae, among the dome-headed dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Acrotholus

Acrotholus audeti

Late Cretaceous (Santonian) · roughly 85.7 to 83.6 million years ago

Alaskacephale

Alaskacephale gangloffi

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) · roughly 72.2 to 66 million years ago

Brontotholus

Brontotholus harmoni

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