Acrotholus Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 0.5m |
| Length | 1.5m |
| Weight | 15 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Pachycephalosaur |
| Location | Canada |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 0.5m |
| Length | 1.5m |
| Weight | 15 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Pachycephalosaur |
| Location | Canada |
Acrotholus was a small pachycephalosaur dinosaur that lived approximately 85.7 million years ago during the Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous period. This bipedal herbivore roamed the ancient landscapes of what is now Alberta, Canada, and represents one of the earliest known members of the dome-headed dinosaur family with an indisputable cranial dome.
Standing about half a metre tall at the hip and measuring roughly 1.5 metres in length, Acrotholus was characterised by its distinctive dome-shaped skull. This thick, bony dome gave the dinosaur its name, which means 'highest dome'. Like other pachycephalosaurs, it walked on two legs and had a relatively small body compared to many other dinosaur groups of its time.
As a herbivore, Acrotholus fed on the ferns, cycads, and other plants that grew in the warm, humid climate of Late Cretaceous Canada. Its small size and bipedal stance would have allowed it to move quickly through the prehistoric forests and plains, potentially using speed to escape from predators.
The discovery of Acrotholus has provided important insights into the early evolution of pachycephalosaurs and has challenged previous assumptions about the preservation of small-bodied dinosaurs in the fossil record. The skull dome may have been used for head-butting contests between individuals, though the exact nature of such behaviour remains debated among palaeontologists.
Acrotholus was distinguished by its thick, dome-shaped skull that was relatively large compared to its small body size. The dinosaur had a bipedal stance with long hind legs and short arms, typical of pachycephalosaurs.
Acrotholus likely lived in herds and may have engaged in head-butting contests using its distinctive skull dome, though the exact methods of contact remain uncertain. Its small size and bipedal build suggest it could move quickly to escape predators in its forest and plain habitats.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Ornithischia |
| Family | Pachycephalosauridae |
| Genus | Acrotholus |
Acrotholus was first described by David C. Evans and Caleb M. Brown in 2013. The original fossils were discovered at Milk River Formation, Alberta, Canada.