Chasmosaurus

† Chasmosaurus is a ceratopsid dinosaur of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian, ~76 Ma) of western North America. Reaching 5–6 m in length and weighing up to 2.5 tonnes, it possessed a large, fenestrated frill and modest brow horns. A gregarious herbivore, it browsed on low palms and ferns in river delta environments. Its name means 'opening lizard,' referencing the large fenestrae in its distinctive frill structure.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Chasmosaurus was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Cretaceous Late Mesozoic Era

Chasmosaurus lived during the Cretaceous Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 100.5 to 66.0 million years ago.

The final age of dinosaurs, featuring iconic species like Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor. Dinosaurs reached their peak diversity before the catastrophic asteroid impact at the Chicxulub crater ended the Mesozoic Era.