
Dinosaur profile
Achelousaurus
Achelousaurus horneri
Pronunciation
ah-KEL-oo-SORE-us
Achelous' lizard
Ceratopsian
6 Meters
Late Cretaceous
83 - 70 million years ago
USA
DietHerbivore
About Achelousaurus
Achelousaurus is a genus of ceratopsid dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 75-65 million years ago. It was a medium to large-sized herbivore, with an estimated length of about 20-30 feet and a weight of about 2-3 tons. Achelousaurus had a large, triangular head with a strong beak and a bony frill on the back of its skull. It also had a row of long, curved horns on its frill, as well as a pair of long, curved horns on its snout. Achelousaurus had a sturdy, quadrupedal build, with four sturdy legs and a long, heavy tail. Its body was probably covered in a layer of tough, scaly skin.
Achelousaurus was discovered in the western United States in the 1990s, and was named by paleontologists in 1998. It is considered a relatively primitive ceratopsid, and is thought to be closely related to other early ceratopsids such as Protoceratops and Leptoceratops. Achelousaurus is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several partial skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this dinosaur.
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