Ceratosaurus - C. nasicornis

• Timeline: ~150 mya (Late Jurassic)
• Location: Utah, Tanzania, Portugal
• Size: Length: ~14-20 ft. Height: ~8 ft. Weight: ~1 ton

Ceratosaurus means 'horned lizard' in Greek and is named so because of the cool-looking rough crest it had at the tip of its nose and the similar looking horns above its eyes. Ceratosaurus had quite a larger head compared to its body than other theropods. It had a mouth with very sharp teeth, along with powerful legs and 4-clawed hands, exactly what you would expect from carnivorous dinosaur. In fact, this Dino is pretty much the first thing that comes to mind when I hear "theropod" partly because of When Dinosaurs Roamed America. That's not to say that its a generic dinosaur, for one it had a layer of bony armor running down its spine and scientists theorize it might of had semi-aquatic habits because of its longer than usual body and tail, sort of like Spinosaurus. Ceratosaurus is actually smaller than some the more famous theropods (roughly half the weight of Allosaurus and its cousin C. dentisulcatus) but yet, its size could be what helped it to actively hunt and kill one of the most famous Dinos, Stegosaurus, its size might mean it would have preferred to hunt in groups, making for a more successful kill. So, Ceratosaurus happens to be a dear friend of mine because it appeared in one of the first Dino films I have seen and has an intimidating face with an ornate of protrusions of bone, making up for its smaller size compared to its competitors.