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Pachyrhinosaurus is a medium-sized herbivorous ceratopsian that lived in the northern regions of North America during the Late Cretaceous. The most defining feature of the genus is the presence of a large, bony nasal boss.


Pachyrhinosaurus is a medium-sized herbivorous ceratopsian that lived in the northern regions of North America during the Late Cretaceous. The most defining feature of the genus is the presence of a large, bony nasal boss.


Pachyrhinosaurus is a medium-sized herbivorous ceratopsian that lived in the northern regions of North America during the Late Cretaceous. The most defining feature of the genus is the presence of a large, bony nasal boss.

In-Game[]

Description[]

As a large animal, Pachyrhinosaurus is unique from many of its relatives due to the bony and hard nasal boss it developed instead of a nasal or facial horns that ceratopsians are usually associated with. Outside of the slight protrusions seen on the frill of P. lakustai, Pachyrhinosaurus is lacking in the conventional defenses seen in other ceratopsians like Nasutoceratops or Triceratops, instead opting for a thick bony boss at the end of its nasal which can inflict serious blunt trauma to whatever upset the animal.

In Prehistoric Kingdom, small scutes line the back of the animal, likely providing slight defense to any assault against the creature from behind, while its sharp beak could definitely help when in a pinch. Like some other ceratopsians, the frill is both used as a method of visual display and protective covering.

Between the three species in-game, there are plenty of differences to spot. P. canadensis, for example, is much larger than the other two species, even rivaling the size of prehistoric titans like Edmontosaurus, while P. lakustai, as noted above, is the only species with any form of horn. The most obvious difference between the three species is P. perotorum with its speculative heavy feather down, giving it an appearance similar to some mammals, owing to its home in the far colder Alaskan formations.

Management[]

To be announced.

In-Game Trivia[]

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Nigel Marven

Ah, a Pachyrhinosaurus!


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Nigel Marven

I've been told that these dinosaurs are quite bossy! Instead of a nasal horn, Pachyrhinosaurus sports an overgrown mass of bone called a “nasal boss” above its eyes and nose. It certainly lives up to its name, the “Thick-Nosed Lizard”!


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Nigel Marven

There are three species contained within the genus Pachyrhinosaurus, each with their own unique facial characteristics. While we don't know the primary purpose of these features, we can assume that the differences help an individual recognize members of its own species and help males impress the ladies.


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Nigel Marven

My, that head looks heavy. Thankfully, the frill extending off the back of its heads is hiding a secret: There are two large holes punched straight through the bone to relieve the weight of all those adornments. The holes aren't visible during life, as you can see, they're beneath all that skin and keratin.


Paleontology[]

Pachyrhinosaurus is a member of the centrosaurinae subfamily of ceratopsids, which are characterised by their usually short, solid and elaborately decorated frills. Unlike many advanced ceratopsians, Pachyrhinosaurus didn't have a nasal horn made of bone, but instead possessed a large bony nasal boss. Some palaeontologists speculate it may have supported a large horn made of keratin which didn't survive fossilization, but many doubt this interpretation.

Pachyrhinosaurus has the most species of any ceratopsian. So far three species have been identified:

  • P. canadensis. The type species which lived in Canada's Horseshoe Canyon Formation. It had two curved horns pointing backwards on top of its frill and rounded nasal boss.
  • P. lakustai. This species is found in the Bearpaw and Horseshoe Canyon formations. This species has a pointed nasal boss and spikes in the centre of its frill.
  • P. perotorum. This species lived in the Prince Creek Formation in Alaska. This species had a larger, dome shaped nasal boss and a comb like extension above its eyes. Some palaeontologists have speculated that this species may have had a thick feathery down to protect itself from the colder climate, however the prevailing thoughts on the matter suspect it was more like its southerly relatives and simply used its size to brave the cold of Prince Creek as the formation was much milder in climate than the Ice Age conditions that would later produce animals such as Coelodonta and Mammuthus.

Pachyrhinosaurus was named in 1950 by paleontologist Charles Sternberg. However the genus wasn't given much notice until the 1980s when new specimens were found. Since then it has become a popular dinosaur, appearing frequently in many media. Its name means 'thick nosed lizard'.

Paleoecology[]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Pachyrhinosaurus is one of the six Ceratopsians currently in Early Access, which include Triceratops, Styracosaurus, Nasutoceratops, Protoceratops and Psittacosaurus.
  • Pachyrhinosaurus is one of the many animals in Prehistoric Kingdom that alternate species as skin options and one of few animals to have each of it's skins to be completely different species, like Camarasaurus and Parasaurolophus.
  • Similar to Tyrannosaurus, Coelophysis, and few other dinosaurs, Pachyrhinosaurus is one of the few animals to earn an alternate skin that has a different integument than the others, with one skin featuring feathers along with non-feathered counterparts.
  • Its one of the six animals which each skin represents a different species, the other three being Edmontosaurus, Camarasaurus, Parasaurolophus, Paraceratherium, and Psittacosaurus.
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