Fun Alaskacephale Facts For Kids

Fiza Talath
Oct 20, 2022 By Fiza Talath
Originally Published on Sep 15, 2021
Here are some Alaskacephale facts that you can't forget.

The dinosaur Alaskacephale gangloffi was actually a pachycephalosaurid dinosaur and it belonged to the order Dinosauria. It lived in Alaska in the Late Campanian to Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous period, millions of years ago. The remains of the Alaskacephale gangloffi were found in Alaska.

The skeleton that was discovered was incomplete and still hangs in the New Mexico Museum. The Alaskacephale gangloffi lived from 80 million years to 70 million years ago. These dinosaurs lived during the Late Cretaceous period.

For more relatable content, check out these Austroraptor facts and Incisivosaurus facts for kids.

Alaskacephale Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Alaskacephale'?

The name of this dinosaur, Alaskacephale gangloffi, is pronounced 'ah-lass-kah-seff-ah-lee' and it was a pachycephalosaurid dinosaur.

What type of dinosaur was an Alaskacephale?

The Alaskacephale gangloffi was from the Pachycephalosaurid dinosaur genus and belonged to the clade and order Dinosauria Ornithischia respectively. It lived in the Late Campanian to Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous period a million years ago.

The remains of the Alaskacephale gangloffi were found in Alaska and its name has been derived from the state of the United States where it was discovered. The exact location where the fossil was found was the Prince Creek Formation and this dinosaur was possibly a Pachycephalosaurus.

This herbivore species was discovered by Robert Sullivan. The half-discovered skeleton hangs in the New Mexico Museum today.

The head and the skull tell the 'Journal Of Paleontology' that this species of dinosaurs was large in size. Alaskacephale teeth were sharp and widely spread out and the average Alaskacephale size was half the size of a mid-size T-rex.

In which geological period did Alaskacephale roam the earth?

The Alaskacephale gangloffi lived in Alaska during the Late Cretaceous period from the Late Campanian stage to the Maastrichtian stage. An Alaskacephale skeleton was discovered in the Prince Creek Formation. This dinosaur belonged to the clade and order Dinosauria and Ornithischia respectively.

When did Alaskacephale become extinct?

The Alaskacephale gangloffi lived in Alaska from 80 million years to 70 million years ago. These dinosaurs lived during the Late Cretaceous period.

Where did Alaskacephale live?

The Alaskacephale gangloffi lived during the Late Cretaceous period and this dinosaur’s remains were found in Alaska, suggesting that it may have lived in this region.

What was the Alaskacephale's habitat?

This species lived in a terrestrial habitat. The location where the fossil was found was the Prince Creek Formation and this specimen was named by Robert Sullivan.

This dinosaur preferred living in woodlands especially in what is today the western USA. Their distribution range was spread across the Prince Creek Formation, Alaska, in the United States. These dinosaurs were primarily herbivores and belonged to the order of Ornithischia.

Who did Alaskacephale live with?

Not much is known about the social life of these dinosaurs from Alaska. However, their gigantic fossils were found amongst fossils of a similar kind so it is safe to assume that they probably lived in a group of three or four similar species of dinosaurs that have been listed under the clade and order of Dinosauria Ornithischia.

How long did an Alaskacephale live?

These Alaskacephale dinosaurs lived in Alaska in the Late Cretaceous period from the Late Campanian stage to the Maastrichtian stage and belonged to the genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaur. They lived for a fairly long period of time, but the exact length of their lives is not currently known.

How did they reproduce?

The exact reproduction process of these dinosaurs is not known to us. But this was an egg-laying species. They laid an average of 20 eggs. A new study has discovered over 70 species that were capable of nesting at very high altitudes but it has not listed Alaskacephale dinosaurs as one of those species.

Alaskacephale Fun Facts

What did Alaskacephale look like?

This dinosaur is known for its head and skull. It is assumed that this herbivore could have been greenish-yellow or gray in color.

A complete skeleton was never discovered, so the exact shape of this species was never fully determined. Its half-discovered skeleton hangs in the New Mexico Museum today.

The head and the skull tell the 'Journal Of Paleontology' that this species of dinosaurs was large in size. Alaskacephale teeth were sharp and widely spread out and the Alaskacephale was half the size of a mid-size T-rex.

The head and skull of this species of dinosaurs were half the size of a T-rex's head and skull. This species weighed an average of 500 lb (226.8 kg) and was 8 ft (2.4 m) tall.

*We've been unable to source an image of Alaskacephale and have used an image of Pachycephalosaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Alaskacephale, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.

How many bones did an Alaskacephale have?

The exact number of bones in the body of this dinosaur species from Alaska is not stated in the 'Journal Of Paleontology' as a complete set of bones of this specimen has not been discovered. However, a prominent part of the bone structure that was studied by paleontologist experts is the skull and the head.

This specimen is popular for its hard, strong, and protective head and skull.

How did they communicate?

These dinosaurs from Alaska may have used loud voices and visual forms of communication. As per paleogeographic implications, the exact method of communication that took place between the dinosaurs is not yet known to man. But it is assumed that they might have used their voices as well as their body language.

How big was the Alaskacephale?

The Asaskacephale is a fairly large animal. It was 8 ft (2.4 m) in length and was half the size of a T-rex.

How fast could an Alaskacephale move?

Most large dinosaurs were considered to be slow movers primarily due to their weight and flat feet but this species of Dinosauria Ornithischia was an exception. They primarily moved on their hind legs as their forelegs were too small to reach the ground.

Due to the shape of their body, they were able to quickly pick up pace and find shelter from predators.

How much did an Alaskacephale weigh?

These dinosaurs from Alaska weighed 500 lb (226.8 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

No specific names were given to males and females of this species.

What would you call a baby Alaskacephale?

Dinosaurs are hatched from eggs, therefore new baby dinosaurs can be called hatchlings, just like other reptiles like turtles and crocodiles.

What did they eat?

The primary diet of this Dinosauria consisted of a combination of leaves, twigs, seeds, and plants.

How aggressive were they?

These animals were non-aggressive animals and they can be described as gentle giants. These animals are herbivorous and did not harm any other species of dinosaurs.

Did you know...

The specimen was previously described by Gangloffi as an unnamed pachycephalosaurid, possibly a Pachycephalosaurus.

Why are they called Alaskacephale?

The primary reason these animals are called Alaskacephale is because of their genus. The name refers to Alaska where the formation holotype was discovered and is combined with the Greek 'kephale', meaning 'head'.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other dinosaurs from our Chromogisaurus interesting facts and Orodromeus fun facts for kids pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Alaskacephale coloring pages.

The main image is by Karkemish

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Written by Fiza Talath

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance

Fiza Talath picture

Fiza TalathBachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance

As an assistant financial accountant, Fiza has developed a strong understanding of the business world. Her Bachelor of Commerce degree, specializing in Accounting and Finance from St Joseph's College of Commerce (Autonomous), enhances her ability to cover a wide range of topics, including finance, accounting, and business. Fiza's writing skills allow her to communicate complex concepts in a clear and engaging manner. She is also passionate about animal welfare, and enjoys writing on this subject as well.

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