Pachycephalosaurus

Characteristics ~ ~ ~ ~

Pachycephalosaurus is a household name despite being a absolute mouthful. Pachycephalosaurus is the most well known dome-headed dinosaur or Pachycephalosaurid. These dome heads which they were named after were mostly used socially. I imagine their social hierarchy is a lot like Kangaroos, Mostly because males had brutal fights competing over females. Pachycephalosaurus would duel with their skulls, ramming them into rivals' sides or having head on collisions. There have been doubts before over wether Pachycephalosaurs would have head on collisions with doubts that their skulls werent thick enough to endure the blunt force trama. But their domes were around 10 inches thick and might have had keratin on the outside, specimens have also been found before with healed chips and cracks in their domes likely healing after a brutal fight. Their neck also connects to the bottom of the skull rather than the back of the skull. This allows the skull to line up with directly with the backbones absorbing more force, like a living battling ram. Pachycephalosaurus has had two different genera named due to the dramatic change during its growth stages or Ontogeny. During its Juvenile stage, spikes adorned the top and back of the skull. As it aged, the spikes atop the skull were replaced with a their dome and the spikes behind the head flattened. The juvenile species of Pachycephalosaurs was called Dracorex Hogwartsia meaning "Dragon king of Hogwarts" and the subadult was named Stygimoloch meaning "Styx's river demon". Having small, rigid leaf shaped teeth Pachycephalosaurus likely had a diet of shrubbery, seeds, fruits, and nuts. However some more carnivorous fangs have been recently found in a juvenile skull at the front of the beak suggesting a more omnivorous diet. Pachycephalosaurus lived with all the Hell Creek formation classics like Triceratops Anzu Ankylosaurus. WIth it's main predator being Juvinile Tyrannosaurus because they were lighter and built for speed being able to catch them.

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History & Fossils ~ ~ ~ ~

Jurassic Park Franchise I feel bad for the Jurassic Park Franchise Pachycephalosaurus because he hasn't had a major role since The Lost world getting Replaced by Stigymoloch in the movies. It reminds me of an actor who’s too old to reprise a role and gets replaced by a younger one. I don’t mind this, the Lost World Pachycephalosaurus just doesn't look good at all. The Stigymoloch is more charismatic and is more expressive and doesn't like its part of the Uncanny vally like Pachycephalosaurus

Prehistoric Planet Prehistoric Planet has the usual scene of an older male trying to defend his title from the newcomer. However a mistake was made that the older male has longer spikes on the back of his head when he should have shorter flater ones. Aside from this its my favorite Pachycephalosaurus design I love the bright colors on it, it even has colors on the dome which most designs avoid doing.

Species Profile - Pachycephalosaurus

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