Species
Ceratosaurus nasicornis
Ceratosaurus nasicornisAlso known as Horned Lizard, Horned Ceratosaur
Ceratosaurus nasicornis was a distinctive Late Jurassic theropod recognized by a prominent midline horn on its snout, paired brow ridges, and a row of small bony osteoderms running along its spine. Its deep, flexible tail and exceptionally elongated, blade-like teeth suggest an adaptable hunter capable of tackling terrestrial dinosaurs as well as venturing near waterways to catch aquatic prey. Possessing robust four-fingered forelimbs, it shared floodplain ecosystems with larger contemporary predators like Allosaurus by exploiting different prey niches.
PrehistoricCarnivorousFossil
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyDryosaurus altus, Camptosaurus dispar, Stegosaurus stenops
Predators
- Allosaurus fragilis
- Torvosaurus tanneri
- Saurophaganax maximus
ThreatsCompetition with larger apex theropods, environmental shifts, and prey scarcity
HabitatsSemi-arid floodplains, river channels, and open woodlands
Life spanApproximately 20–30 years
Classification
- FamilyCeratosauridae
- SpeciesCeratosaurus nasicornis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species; fossil specimens are entirely safe to examine.
Responsible observation
- Museum viewing: Examine mounted skeletons to see the nasal horncore and dermal osteoderms.
- Fossil study: Compare its four-fingered hands with the three-fingered claws of contemporary allosaurs.
Competitor (c) Allosaurus_SDNHM.jpg, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Prey (c) Ryan Somma, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Image unavailablePrey 
Competitor Etemenanki3 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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