Quick Facts
Name Meaning:	Even Head
Distribution:	Mongolia
Time Period:	Late Cretaceous, 80 Ma
Length:	3+ ft (1 m)
Linnaean Classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Order:	Ornithischia
Infraorder:	Pachycephalosauria
Family:	Homalocephalidae
Genus:	Homalocephale
Cladistic Classification
Dinosauria Ornithischia Genasauria Cerapoda Marginocephalia Pachycephalosauria Goyocephala Homalocephaloidea Homalocephalidae Homalocephale

History

The Homalocephale was first described in 1974 by Maryanska and Osmolska. It was discovered in Mongolia and is currently the only genus of the species. It was described from an incomplete skull and post cranial material. Recently in 2009 and 2010, paleontologists conducted several studies and determined that the Homalocephale may be a juvenile version of another dinosaur, possibly the Prenocephale, but these claims are difficult to prove.

Description

The Homalocephale was relatively small in size, about the size of a large dog. It had short canine-like teeth and large eye sockets. The most distinguishing feature of the Homalocephale, like other Pachycephalosaurs, was its thick bone head. This cranial dome was not as well developed like that of other pachycephalosaurs like the Pachycephalosaurus. The head, however, was flatter than most. It may have been used to head butt others of its genus in competition. Another feature is the discovery of unusually wide hips leading some paleontologists to believe that the dinosaur gave birth to live young, unlike many dinosaurs that lay eggs.