Wannanosaurus
Wannanosaurus was a tiny dome-headed dinosaur that lived about 70 million years ago in what is now China. It had a flat skull instead of a big dome, and it was one of the smallest pachycephalosaurs ever found.12
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Fun facts
Wannanosaurus had a completely flat skull roof with large openings called supratemporal fenestrae, unlike later dome-headed relatives.2
Its femur was only about 8 centimeters (3.1 inches) long, making it one of the smallest pachycephalosaurs.1
The skull bones were fused together, showing that this tiny dinosaur was an adult when it died.1
It had a long lower jaw with small, denticulated (serrated) teeth, good for chewing plants.2
Wannanosaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous period, about 72 to 69 million years ago.1
Its forelimbs were short, with the humerus only half the length of the femur or less.2
Most asked questions about Wannanosaurus
?How big was Wannanosaurus?
It was very small, about 60 centimetres (2.0 feet) long. Its thigh bone was only about 8 centimetres (3.1 inches) long.1
?Did Wannanosaurus have a dome on its head?
No, it had a flat skull roof with large openings, unlike later dome-headed pachycephalosaurs. That is why scientists consider it a primitive member of the group.1
?What did Wannanosaurus eat?
It was probably herbivorous or omnivorous, eating low-growing plants and maybe insects. Its small, serrated teeth were good for chewing plants.1
?When did Wannanosaurus live?
It lived about 70 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period (Maastrichtian age).1
?Where was Wannanosaurus found?
Its fossils were discovered in Anhui, China, in the Xiaoyan Formation. The name means 'Wannan lizard' after the region.1
?Is Wannanosaurus a dinosaur?
Yes, it is a dinosaur. It belongs to the group Pachycephalosauria, which are dome-headed dinosaurs, even though its own skull was flat.1
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For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Wannanosaurus
- Named by
- Hou 19774
- Group
- Dome-heads
- Family / clade
- Pachycephalosauria4
- Classification
- Ornithischia > Pachycephalosauria4
- Age of the rocks
- 72 to 66 million years (Maastrichtian)4
- Rock formations
- Xiaoyan4
- Countries
- China4
- Fossil records
- 1 in the Paleobiology Database4
- Discovery
- Wannanosaurus was named by Chinese paleontologist Hou Lian-Hai in 1977, based on a partial skeleton found in red sandstones of the Xiaoyan Formation in Anhui, China.21
- Still debated
- Scientists are not sure if Wannanosaurus was a very primitive pachycephalosaur or if it was closely related to other flat-headed forms like Homalocephale.12
Where the facts come from
- Wannanosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
- A primitive pachycephalosaurid from the Cretaceous of Anhui, China, Wannanosaurus yansiensis gen. et sp. nov (naturalhistory.si.edu)
- Wannanosaurus yansiensis | Dinosaur Database by DinoAnimals.com (dinoanimals.com)
- Wannanosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
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Spinosaurus
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