Homalocephale

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Homalocephale
Temporal range:
Ma
↓
Mounted holotype in the Mongolian Natural History Museum, 2002
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: †Ornithischia
Clade: †Pachycephalosauria
Family: †Pachycephalosauridae
Genus: †Homalocephale
Maryanska & Osmolska, 1974
Species:
†H. calathocercos
Binomial name
†Homalocephale calathocercos
Maryanska & Osmolska, 1974

Homalocephale (from

pachycephalosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period of what is now the Nemegt Formation, Mongolia, about 70 million years ago. The genus was described in 1974 by Halszka Osmólska and Teresa Maryańska, and consists of a single species, H. calathocercos. Though Homalocephale has been regarded as a synonym (and juvenile form) of Prenocephale
, juvenile specimens of the latter indicate that they were distinct. Homalocephale was 1.8 m (5.9 ft) long and possibly a omnivore.

Discovery

Skeletal restoration of the holotype
Cast of the holotype skull

The

squamosal bone. Paleontologists concluded that the specimen was an adult, despite the fact that the sutures are discernible and that it had a flat skull (a juvenile trait in many pachycephalosaurid species).[1]

In 2010, a study by Nick Longrich and colleagues suggested that flat-headed pachycephalosaurs were just juvenile forms of dome-headed adults, a view also supported by the earlier analysis of Horner and Goodwin in 2009. Longrich and colleagues suggested that Homalocephale is actually the juvenile or sub-adult stage of Prenocephale mainly based on the lack of a dome and being discovered in the same locality (Nemegt) as the latter.[2]

David C. Evans and team in 2018 reported juvenile specimens of Prenocephale from the Nemegt Formation, noting a relatively linear growth in this pachycephalosaur characterized by a rounded dome. This differs from the flat skull of Homalocephale and given that even juvenile Prenocephale possessed a rather rounded dome, both taxa should be regarded as separate.[3]

Description

Restoration

Homalocephale was about 1.8 m (5.9 ft) long.

Dracorex and Goyocephale), Homalocephale sported a flat, wedge-shaped skull roof. Nonetheless, the surface of the skull was fairly thickened.[1]

Paleobiology

Homalocephale is also noted for having an unusually broad pelvis and some have suggested that the width served to protect vital organs from harm during flank-butting.[5] Homalocephale also had rather long legs, indicating a fast-moving gait.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Maryańska, T.; Osmólska, H. (1974). "Pachycephalosauria, a new suborder of ornithischian dinosaurs" (PDF). Palaeontologica Polonica (30): 45−102.
  2. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2009.12.002
  3. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.11.029
    .
  4. ^ Holtz, Thomas R. Jr. (2008) Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages Supplementary Information
  5. ^ Carpenter, Kenneth (1997). "Agonistic behavior in pachycephalosaurs (Ornithischia:Dinosauria): a new look at head-butting behavior". Contributions to Geology. 32 (1): 19–25.
  6. ISBN 0-520-24209-2
    .

External links
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