My Dinosaur Project

The Stygimoloch

The stygimoloch was an ornithischian which was alive in the late creatouecus period about 65-67 million years ago. 

An ornithiscian was an animal with a bird like hip which means it's legs fell straight down from its hips. A stygimoloch had a thick skull and a large head with bony spikes up to 100mm long it also had many bumps on its head.

It was 1.8m tall and 7m long and was about as tall as the average adult. 

Scientists are not quite sure about its colourings because it's closest living relatives, birds, have many different colourings so it is hard to tell. 

The stygimoloch was a pachysepholosauruia which means thick headed lizard.

Stygimoloch skull

Habitat

The stygimoloch lived in the plains and forests of North America. Its fossils have been found in Montana and Wyoming USA. The styglimoloch would have lived along side with many other famous dinosaurs such as the tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops.

Stygimolochs in their natural habitat

 

Diet

The stygimoloch was an herbivore.  It ate plants and other dinosaur's eggs which it found in the plains and forests where it lived. 

We know it was an herbivore by looking at its teeth.  It had rounded teeth making it a herbivore.  If it had sharp teeth it would have been a carnivore.

Stygimoloch eating plants

Special characteristics

Stygimoloch means demon from the river Styx ( Greek river of death).  It was the second largest pachysepholosaruia. 

It used its horn to defend itself from carnivores who it would have head butted.  It may also have used it for attracting females.