Wannanosaurus Characteristics

Wannanosaurus measured 2 feet (60 centimetres) in length. It was a bipedal dinosaur and walked on its 2 strong hind legs. Wannanosaurus had a thick-set body and 2 short fore limbs. Its stiff tail was used as a counter-balance as it walked or ran and when changing direction. Its skull was thick and flat on the top. Wannanosaurus resembled Pachycephalosaurus, however, it was much smaller and its head was much flatter.

Wannanosaurus was a herbivore and grazed on low lying vegetation such as soft plants, fruit and seeds. This small dinosaur may have lived in herds. Running was probably the first line of self-defence. Its thick skull may have been used for ramming rivals during mating and dominance combat, for attracting mates or as a last chance of self-defence against predators.

Wannanosaurus is known from a single partial skeleton, including a partial skull roof and lower jaw, an upper leg and lower leg, part of a rib, and other fragments. Because it had a flat skull roof with large openings, it has been considered primitive among pachycephalosaurs.

Wannanosaurus was named by the Chinese paleontologist Lian-Hai Hou in 1977.