Centrosaurus apertus

† Centrosaurus apertus is the type species of the ceratopsid genus Centrosaurus, from the Late Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada. Known from exceptionally abundant material including massive bone beds representing hundreds of individuals, it was a medium-large herbivorous ceratopsid with a prominent nasal horn and elaborated frill. Described by Lawrence Lambe in 1904, it remains one of the most completely understood ceratopsids and is central to studies of horned dinosaur evolution and social behavior.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Centrosaurus apertus 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

Centrosaurus apertus 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.