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Ceratosaurus nasicornis (juvenile)
"Nose-horned horned lizard"

At 6 meters (20ft) long, Ceratosaurus was a fairly average Jurassic predator. Though more primitive than it's contemporaries like Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus is notable for it's head ornamentation- adults sported a large, flat crest on the end of the snout as well as two smaller horns over the eyes. Ceratosaurus is known mainly from North America, but one possible species is found in Africa, and is enormous, possibly one of the biggest predatory dinosaurs known. This is a speculative reconstruction of a hatchling Ceratosaurus, based partly on a known juvenile skull. Despite the recent tendency to put feathers on baby dinosaurs, this is unlikely for Ceratosaurus. Adults have been found with bony scutes, and close relative Carnotaurus is known to be entirely scaly. Since feathers and scales are two different kinds of skin covering, it's doubtful that a baby would be born with feathers and have scales as an adult.

 

Peelback © Matt Martyniuk 2003