The Rugops was a large theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 95 million years ago. This dinosaur also belonged to the family Abelisauridae, which lived during the Late Cretaceous.
Key facts
| Domain | Description |
|---|---|
| Rugops pronunciation | Roo-gops |
| What does Rugops mean? | Wrinkle face |
| Dinosaur type | Theropod |
| On the menu | Carnivore |
| Length | 14′ – 17′ (4.4 – 5.3 meters) |
| Height | 8′ (2.5 meters) |
| Weight | 900 lbs (410 kg) |
| Life expectancy | Unknown |
| Legs used to get around | Bipedal |
| Estimated top speed | Approximately 15 miles per hour or 24.1 kilometers per hour |
| When they lived | Late Cretaceous Period about 95 million years ago. |
| Where they have been found? | Niger, Africa |
When & Where
World-renowned paleontologist, Paul Sereno, discovered a skull that looked like an abelisaurid in In-Abangharit, Niger Republic. This specimen was from the Echkar formation which, from research, has been concluded that date back to the Cretaceous Period.
Size & Weight
Rugops is believed to have reached a length of 14′ – 17′ (4.4 – 5.3 meters), a height of 8′ (2.5 meters), and a weight of 900 lbs (410 kg).
Mobility & Diet
Carnivorous dinosaurs ate smaller dinosaurs and other animals to live. Due to their fragile head, the Rugops were only able to hunt animals smaller than them. It was also hard for this dinosaur to eat as most herbivores were larger than them.
Interesting Points
- The Rugops was considered to be the first abelisaurid to be discovered in Africa, while most abelisaurids were found in South Africa, Madagascar, and India.
- There has only been one specimen that was found by paleontologists for this dinosaur.
Featured Image Credit: Liam Elward, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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