Re: Pachyrhinosurus

["Timothy Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

LONEWOLF <s086529@student.uq.edu.au> wrote:

> I remembered a few years ago reading that pachyrhinosaurus, found with a
> shelf-like ridge on its nose, was represented by only two finds, and 
> therefore
> there was some argument as to whether in fact, this ceratopsian had a
> ridge, or
> whether this was the base of an immense horn that had broken off due to a
> fight
> or some pathological process. Any news on this?

Peter Dodson in his recent book "The Horned Dinosaurs" favors the idea that 
it was a big, rugose, flat-topped boss rather than the base of an enormous 
rhino-style, keratinous horn.  From memory, if _Pachyrhinosaurus_' ancestors 
had a bony nasal horn, why replace it with a new horn made of keratin in 
roughly the same place?  Why re-invent something for the same purpose?

Perhaps the flat pachyostatic boss of _Pachyrhinosaurus_ was used as a 
battering ram for toppling small trees.


Tim


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