Period of life:
78-77 MYA
Era/period:
Cretaceous
Habitat:
Montana (USA)
Length:
6

Description
Medusaceratops is an extinct branch of the genus of herbivorous dinosaurs of the Ceratopsians infraorder, who lived about 80 million years ago in the territory of modern North America. It got its name because of the huge bone growth on the neck, which have caused associations of scientists with the mythical Medusa Gorgon. The body length of Medusaceratops reached 6 meters. It was almost up to 2.5 meters high. It weighed up to 2.5 tons. Apparently, Medusaceratops fed mainly on low-growing vegetation. Unfortunately, the fossil remains are few and fragmentary, so the full appearance of the lizard is not yet restorable. Most of the reconstructions are made on the basis of close genera. It is known that Medusaceratops moved on four thick legs, and the hind ones were somewhat longer than the front ones. The horned dinosaur did not have outstanding speed qualities, but was probably more mobile than larger relatives. Finds of the remains of these ceratops were made in 1995 in the province of Alberta, Montana near the Canadian-American border and described only in 2010.