Styracosaurus was a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur from the
Cretaceous Period (Campanian stage), about 76.5 to 75.0 million years
ago. It had four to six long horns extending from its neck frill, a
smaller horn on each of its cheeks, and a single horn protruding from
its nose, which may have reached dimensions of around 60 centimeters
(2 ft) long and 15 centimeters (6 in) wide. The function or functions
of the horns and frills have been the subject of debate for many years.
Styracosaurus was a large dinosaur, reaching lengths of 5.5 meters
(18 ft) and weighing nearly 3 tons. It stood about 1.8 meters (6 ft)
tall. Styracosaurus possessed four short legs and a bulky body. Its
tail was rather short. It also had a beak and flat cheek teeth,
indicating that its diet was herbivorous. Like other ceratopsians, this
dinosaur may have been a herd animal, traveling in large groups, as
suggested by bonebeds. Named by Lawrence Lambe in 1913, Styracosaurus
is a member of the Centrosaurinae. Two species, S. albertensis and S.
ovatus are currently assigned to Styracosaurus. Other species assigned
to the genus have since been reassigned elsewhere.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styracosaurus>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1896:
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson,
upholding the legality of racial segregation in public transportation
under the "Separate but equal" doctrine.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson>
1944:
World War II: Polish forces under Lieutenant General Władysław Anders
captured Monte Cassino, Italy.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino>
1948:
The first session of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China
convened in Nanking.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_Yuan_of_the_Republic_of_China>
1980:
The stratovolcano Mount St. Helens erupted , killing 57 people in
southern Washington State, reducing hundreds of square miles to
wasteland, and causing over a billion U.S. dollars in damage.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount_St._Helens>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
nip in the bud (v):
1. To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from
forming.
2. (idiomatic) To stop something at an early stage
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nip_in_the_bud>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
To save the world requires faith and courage: faith in reason, and
courage to proclaim what reason shows to be true.
--Bertrand Russell
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell>