Rugops facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rugops |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Class: | |
| Superorder: | |
| Order: | |
| Suborder: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Rugops
|
Rugops was a fascinating dinosaur that lived a long, long time ago. It was a relative of the famous Carnotaurus. This dinosaur roamed the land that is now Africa around 95 million years ago. It was a medium-sized meat-eater, growing up to 27 feet long!
Contents
Meet Rugops: The Wrinkled-Face Dinosaur
Rugops lived during the Upper Cretaceous period. This was a time when many other amazing dinosaurs also lived. Some of its neighbors included huge dinosaurs like Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and Deltadromeus.
What Did Rugops Eat?
Rugops was a carnivore, which means it ate meat. However, its jaws were not super strong, and its teeth were quite small. Because of this, scientists think it might have been a scavenger. A scavenger is an animal that eats other animals that are already dead.
But Rugops might also have hunted! It could have preyed on large plant-eating dinosaurs called sauropods, like Paralititan and Aegyptosaurus. It might also have hunted ornithopods, such as Ouranosaurus.
Why Was It Called "Wrinkled Face"?
The name "Rugops" means "wrinkled face." This is because of the bony wrinkles found on its snout. Scientists believe these wrinkles might have helped to support something special on its face. It could have been a horny crest, like a small horn, or even a wattle, similar to the fleshy parts you see on a rooster or a turkey. These features would have made Rugops look even more unique!
See also
In Spanish: Rugops primus para niños
Gallery
-
Skeletal diagram of the only known specimen.
-
A drawing showing what Rugops might have looked like.
.png){kind=small}
