PALEONTOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA

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Stygimoloch Information Sheet



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NAME: Stygimoloch
NAMED BY: Peter M. Galton and Hans-Dieter Sues
DATE NAMED: 1983
NAME MEANING: “Demon from the river Styx”
PRONOUNCIATION: STIH-gee-MOLE-lock
DISCOVERED BY: Peter M. Galton and Hans-Dieter Sues
DESCRIBED BY: Peter M. Galton and Hans-Dieter Sues
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HEIGHT: N/A
WEIGHT: (about) 170 to 200 pounds
LENGTH: 7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 m)
SPECIAL FEATURES: Slightly domed head, complete with spikes
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LIFE SPAN: Late Cretaceous period
MYA: 70 to 65
HABITAT: Plains
FOSSIL-DATABASE #: (will be updated asap)
OTHER DINOSAURS AT THE TIME INCLUDE;

  •     Alphadon - a primitive marsupial mammal, about 1 foot (30 cm) long. This omnivore (eating insects, small animals, seeds and fruit) lived in trees, had opposable toes, and a prehensile tail. Found in western North America from Alberta, Canada to New Mexico, USA.
  •     Anatotitan - 70-65 million years old, a duck-billed plant-eater. From western North America.
  •     Alamosaurus- a 70 feet (21 m) long Titanosaurud (sauropod) from southwestern USA, 73-65 mya.
  •     Albertosaurus - A carnivore similar to Tyrannosaurus, but smaller. 76-74 million years old. From western North America.
  •     Anchiceratops- a ceratopsian 20 feet (6 m) long from Alberta, Canada, 73-70 mya.
  •     Ankylosaurus - The last armor-plated dinosaur (a plant eater), 70-65 million years ago, as big as a tank. From western North America.
  •     Archelon - A huge sea turtle covered with horny plates. It was 10-13 feet (3-4 m) long and had paddle-like limbs.
  •     Arrhinoceratops- a ceratopsian (a frilled, horned, plant-eater) 20 feet (6 m) long from Alberta, Canada, 72-68 mya.
  •     Aublysodon - a 15 ft (4.5 m) theropod (bipedal meat-eater) from western North America, 76-65 mya.
  •     Avaceratops- one of the smallest ceratopsians (frilled, horned, plant-eaters), 7 feet (2 m) long from Montana, 77-73 mya.
  •     Bambiraptor, a small meat-eater from Montana, USA.
  •     Brachyceratops- A ceratopsian (a frilled, small-horned, plant-eater) 6 feet (1.8 m) long from Montana, 80-70 mya. 5 fossils were found together.
  •     Brachylophosaurus - a duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaur) 23 ft (7 m) long from Alberta, Canada and Montana, USA, 75 mya.
  •     Caenagnathus - a 7 ft (2 m) theropod (bipedal meat-eater) from western North America, 75 mya.
  •     Centrosaurus - a 6 m long ceratopsian from about 85 million years ago, from Canada.
  •     Ceratops - a 25 ft (7.5 m) long ceratopsian (horned plant-eater) from 80-73 mya, from Montana, USA.
  •     Chasmosaurus - 17 feet (5.8 m) long Ceratopsian (horned, frilled plant-eater) from Alberta, Canada and Texas, USA, 80-65 mya.
  •     Chirostenotes - a 6.5 ft (2 m) long theropod (lightly-built, bipedal meat-eater) from Alberta, Canada, 76-73 mya.
  •     Cionodon - a horse-sized duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaurid, a plant-eater) from Alberta, Canada and Russia, 97.5-65 mya.
  •     Claorhynchus - a poorly-known ceratopsian (horned, frilled, plant-eater) from 83-73 mya, from Montana, USA.
  •     Claosaurus - a 12 ft (3.5 m) duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaurid, a plant-eater) from Kansas, USA, 80-75 mya.
  •     Corythosaurus - A late Cretaceous duck-billed dinosaur (plant-eater) with a hollow, helmet-shaped crest. From Alberta, Canada, 76-72 million years ago.
  •     Daspletosaurus - a 30 ft (10 m) tyrannosaurid theropod (large, bipedal meat-eater) from Alberta, Canada, 76-72 mya.
  •     Deinodon - the first tyrannosaurid named, a large theropod (bipedal meat-eater) from Montana, USA, 75-70 mya.
  •     Diceratops - a 30 ft (9 m) long ceratopsian (horned, frilled plant-eater) from Wyoming, USA, 68-65 mya.
  •     Diclonius - a 27 ft (8 m) duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaurid, a plant-eater) from Montana, USA, 83-73 mya.
  •     Diplotomodon - a large theropod (a bipedal meat eater). From New Jersey, USA, 97.5-65 mya.
  •     Dromaeosaurus - large-brained theropod (fast, advanced, bipedal meat-eater) 6 feet (1.8 m) long, 76-72 million years old. From Alberta, Canada.
  •     Dromiceiomimus - ornithomimid theropod (fast, bipedal meat-eater) 12 feet (3.5 m) long, 76-72 million years old. From Alberta, Canada.
  •     Dryptosaurus - A theropod (bipedal meat-eater) 20 feet (6 m) long. 70-65 million years ago ). From eastern North America.
  •     Dysganus - a poorly-known ceratopsian (horned, frilled, plant-eater) from 83-73 mya, from Montana, USA.
  •     Dyslocosaurus - a small, diplodocid sauropod (long-necked plant-eater), 65 ft (20 m) long, from 68-65 mya, from Wyoming, USA.
  •     Edmontonia - a plated, nodosaurid ankylosaurid (armored plant-eater) 23 ft (7 m) long. From western North America, 76-68 mya.
  •     EdmontosaurusEdmontosaurus- a large, late-Cretaceous duck-bill (about 73 to 65 million years ago), 40 ft (12m) long. From western North America.
  •     Einiosaurus - a ceratopsian (plant-eater) from Montana, USA, 93-89 mya.
  •     Eoceratops- a ceratopsian (a frilled, small-horned, plant-eater) 13 feet (4 m) long from Alberta, Canada, 75-72 mya.
  •     Eucentrosaurus - a 17 ft (5 m) long ceratopsian (horned plant-eater) from 76-72 mya, from Montana, USA and Alberta, Canada.
  •     Euoplocephalus - a 20-foot long armored, plant-eating dinosaur (an ankylosaur) with a tail club. From Alberta, Canada, 76-70 mya.
  •     Gorgosaurus - a 26-30 feet (8-9 m) long tyrannosaurid from Alberta, Canada. 76 to 68 mya.
  •     Gravitholus - a pachycephalosaurid (a thick-skulled plant-eater) from Alberta, Canada, 75 mya.
  •     Gryposaurus - a duck-billed dinosaur (a plant-eater) 25 m (7 m) long from Alberta, Canada, 75 mya.
  •     Hadrosaurus - a duck-billed dinosaur (a plant-eater) 25 m (7 m) long from Haddonfield, NJ, USA, 76-73 mya.
  •     Hesperornis - a diving bird 3 ft (1 m) long that lived near the coast.
  •     Hypacrosaurus - a 30 ft (9 m) duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaurid, a plant-eater) from Alberta, Canada and Montana, USA, 72-70 mya.
  •     Hypsibema - a duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaurid, a plant-eater) from North Carolina, USA, 83-73 mya. Known from only 5 bones.
  •     Ichthyornis - a fish-eating bird that was a powerful flyer. It was 8 inches (20 cm) long and lived near the coast.
  •     Kritosaurus - a duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaur) 30 ft (9 m) long, from New Mexico, USA, 76-65 mya.
  •     LambeosaurusLambeosaurus - a duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaur) 30 ft (9 m) long, from the western USA and Mexico, 83-65 mya.
  •     Leptoceratops- a ceratopsian (a frilled, horned, plant-eater) 5 feet (1.8 m) long from Wyoming, USA, and Alberta, Canasa, 72-68 mya.
  •     Lophorhothon - a flat-headed, duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaur) 15 ft (4.5 m) long, from Alabama, USA, 83-73 mya.
  •     Maiasaura - A herding, duck-billed dinosaur (beaked plant-eater), 30 ft (9 m) long, from Montana, USA, 80-65 mya.
  •     MonocloniusMonoclonius - A large ceratopsian (horned, frilled plant-eater), 17 ft, (5 m) long, from Alberta, CA and Montana, USA, 76-73 mya.
  •     Montanoceratops - a primitive, ceratopsian (horned, frilled plant-eater), 6 ft (1.8 m). From Montana, 73-70 mya.
  •     Nanotyrannus - the smallest tyrannosaurid (bipedal meat-eaters) from Montana, USA, 68-65 mya.
  •     Nedcolbertia - a small theropod (bipedal plant-eaters) from Utah, USA, 127 to 121 mya.
  •     Nothronychus - a therizinosaur from New Mexico, USA, 94-90 mya
  •     Ornatotholus - a small pachycephalosaurid (a thick-skulled plant-eater) 6.5 ft (2.5 m) long, from Alberta, Canada, 75 mya.
  •     Ornithomimus - an ostrich-like theropod (bipedal meat-eater) from the late Cretaceous, 76-65 million years ago. From western North America.
  •     Ornithotarsus - a large duckbill (beaked plant-eater), from New Jesey, USA, 83-73 mya.
  •     Orodromeus - a small hypsilophodontid (a fast-moving, bipedal plant eater, an ornithopod) from Montana, USA, 77-73 mya. Eggs and embryos were also found.
  •     Pachycephalosaurus - thick-skulled, bipedal plant-eater, 15 ft (4.5 m) long, from the western USA, 76-65 mya.
  •     Pachyrhhinosaurus - a ceratopsian (a frilled, horned, plant-eater) 7 feet (23 m) long, from Alaska, USA, and Alberta, Canada, 72-68 mya.
  •     Palaeoscincus- a nodosaurid ankylosaur (an armored, plant-eater) 18 feet (5.5 m) long, from Montana, USA, 83-73 mya.
  •     Panoplosaurus- a nodosaurid ankylosaur (an armored, plant-eater) 18 feet (5.5 m) long, from Alberta, Canada and Montana, USA, 76-73 mya.
  •     Parasaurolophus - a duck-billed dinosaur (beaked plant-eater), 30 ft (9 m) long, from western North America, 76-65 mya.
  •     Parksosaurus- a hypsilophodontid (a fast-moving plant-eater with canine teeth) 7 feet (2 m) long, from Alberta, Canada and Montana, USA, 68-65 mya.
  •     Pentaceratops - a ceratopsian (a frilled, horned, plant-eater) 28 feet (8 m) long, from New Mexico, USA, 75-65 mya.
  •     Prosaurolophus - a duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaur) 26 ft (8 m) long from Alberta, Canada, 77-73 mya.
  •     Pteranodon - a flying reptile, not a dinosaur, 9 ft (2.8 m) long, weighing 37 pounds (17 kg).
  •     Purgatorius - the earliest-known primate (a type of mammal), about 4 inches (10 cm) long. Known from a single fossilized tooth found in Montana, USA. From the late Cretaceous to the early Paleocene.
  •     Quetzalcoatlus - a carrion-eating flying reptile, not a dinosaur, 13 ft (4 m) long, weighing 190 pounds (86 kg).
  •     Ricardoestesia - a 2 m long meat-eating dinosaur known from only its teeth.
  •     Saurolophus - a duckbill (beaked plant-eater) 32 ft (8.7 m) long, from Alberta, Canada and Mongolia, China, 72 to 68 mya.
  •     Saurornithoides - a small, fast theropod (bipedal meat-eater) 6 ft (1.8 m) long, from Alberta, Canada, 76-73 mya.
  •     StyracosaurusStyracosaurus - A ceratopsian from the late Cretaceous, 77-73 million years ago. From western North America.
  •     Stegoceras - a pachycephalosaurid (thick-skulled, bipedal plant-eater) 7 ft (2 m) long, from Alberta, Canada and Montana, USA, 76-65 mya.
  •     Struthiomimus - an ornithomimid theropod (ostrich-like, bipedal meat-eater) 13 ft (4 m) long, from Alberta, Canada, 76-70 mya.
  •     Styracosaurus - a ceratopsian (horned, frilled plant-eater) 18 ft (5.25 m) long, from Alberta, Canada and Montana, USA, 77-73 mya.
  •     Torosaurus - a ceratopsian (a horned, frilled plant-eater) 21 ft (6.2 m) long, from Alberta, Canada, 70-65 mya.
  •     Trachodon - an ornithischian (a poorly-known plant-eater) 21 ft (6.2 m) long, from Montana, USA, 77-73 mya. Trachodon is probably the same as Edmontosaurus.
  •     Triceratops - “three-horned face” - 68-65 million years old, up to 30 feet long, a plant-eater. From western North America.
  •     Troodon - a large-brained theropod (bipedal meat-eater), 76-70 million years old. From western North America.
  •     Tyrannosaurus rex - Huge meat-eater from western North America and China, 85-65 mya.
  •     Ugrosaurus - a large ceratopsian (horned, frilled, plant-eater) from Montana, 68 - 65 mya.
  •     Zapsalis - a meat-eater from Montana

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DIET: Herbivore
INTELLIGENCE: Average/Low
BEHAVIOR: N/A
MOBILITY: Bipedal
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COMPLETE?: Poorly
BONES FOUND/KNOWN FROM: 5 partial Skulls
FOUND IN: Plains
FOUND WHERE: North America
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INTERESTING FACTS: Stygimoloch (which can be loosely translated as “horned demon from the river of death”) wasn’t nearly as terrifying as its name implies. A type of pachycephalosaur, or bone-headed dinosaur, this plant-eater was actually fairly lightweight, about the size of a fully grown man. It earned its intimidating name because its skull evoked the Christian conception of the devil—all horns and scales, with the slight hint of an evil leer.


NEED TO KNOW BASIS: There’s been a new development on the Stygimoloch front: according to new research, the skulls of juvenile pachycephalosaurs changed drastically as they aged. Long story short, it turns out that what scientists call Stygimoloch may in fact have been a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus.


OTHER INFORMATION: Why did Stygimoloch have such prominent horns? As with other pachycephalosaurs, it’s thought that this was a sexual adaptation—males would head-butt each other for the right to mate with females, and bigger horns provided a valuable edge. Apart from these displays of dinosaur machismo, though, Stygimoloch was probably fairly harmless, feasting on vegetation and leaving other dinosaurs (and small, cowering mammals) alone.
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KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Reptilia
SUPERORDER: Dinosauria
ORDER: Ornithischia
SUBORDER: N/A
INFRAORDER: N/A
SUPERFAMILY: N/A
FAMILY: Pachycephalosauridae
SUBFAMILY: N/A
TRIBE: N/A
NODE: N/A
GENUS: Stygimoloch
-Galton and Sues, 1983
SPECIES: S. spinifer
-N/A
TYPE SPECIES: N/A

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