Dinosaurs & Prehistory - Dinosaurs - Pachycephalosaurus - Pachycephalosaurs - Dinosaur anatomy - Cretaceous
What did the distinctive skull dome of Pachycephalosaurus mainly consist of?
Correct!
The most striking feature of Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis was its enormous dome-shaped skullcap. It arose primarily from the thickening and fusion of the frontal and parietal bones of the skull roof. Studies of adult specimens show that the dome was made of dense bone tissue. However, as it grew, its internal structure changed significantly - so it was not just a completely homogeneous "solid block of bone". The purpose of this extraordinary dome continues to be debated. A well-known hypothesis states that pachycephalosaurs used them in arguments with other animals. Fossil damage to various pachycephalosaur skulls generally supports the possibility of such fights. However, other research suggests that the rounded shape may have been problematic for direct head-on collisions. The name Pachycephalosaurus appropriately means “fat-headed lizard”.
The skull dome of Pachycephalosaurus consisted primarily of heavily thickened and fused bones of the skull roof.
