Styracosaurus Strives to Steal Some of the Dinosaur Spotlight

Roving rodent reporter Zoey the zoo mouse and her companion photographer Zeek have dropped by to talk to Stella the Styracosaurus and learn more about this lesser-known Cretaceous creature.

Zoey: There doesn’t seem to be much information out there about you, Stella.

Stella: I know. Triceratops is the ceratopsian that gets all the attention. And we existed almost 10 million years before Triceratops.

Zoey: Cera what?

Stella: Ceratopsian…It means “horned face” in Greek.

Zoey: Oh, I see…Why do you think you’re not as—

Stella: Popular?

Zoey: Well, I was going to say “recognized,” but yeah.

Stella: I don’t know, really. We definitely don’t figure as much in popular culture as Triceratops. We may not be quite as large, but we have horns, and we hatch from eggs, just like them. I mean, where’s our movie, our book deal? We don’t even get bit parts!

Zoey: Yes, that must be frustrating for you. But I do see that your spiked—what do you call it?

Stella: Frill?

Zoey: Yes, frill. Your spiked frill is quite intimidating…and, dare I say, more impressive than a Triceratops has. Do you use it to fight?

Stella: No—it’s more of a display/defense mechanism. But I agree it is more impressive. And it sure does come in handy when zoo guests become annoying. Charge the fence and see them run!

Zoey: Your mouth is very unusual, too…Is that a…beak?

Stella: Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. It’s really sharp—we need it to rip the leaves off sago trees.

Zoey: What about meat?

Stella: You mean, do we eat meat? Oh, heavens no! I wouldn’t touch the stuff! Disgusting! And I’m so glad I’m not a carnivore. They’re horrible. They’re mean, and loud, and so full of themselves! They think they’re the greatest thing since...since…

Zoey: Sliced bread?

Stella: Well I don’t know what that is, but okay…

Zoey: So in the wild, you would have been hunted by carnivores?

Stella: Yes, by nasty ol’ T. rex, like our friend Terrence over there. Look at him, with that smug, toothy grin. Yeah, smile all you want, Terrence, there’s no way you can get me! Neener, neener, neener!

Zoey: You might not want to taunt him. You know he ate an elephant last week…

Stella: Yes, but even if he escapes his enclosure, he’d have to get through this fence, too. And he’d have nine of us to deal with…

Zoey: There are nine of you?

Stella: Yep. We’re pretty tight—we wander around the exhibit together, we eat together…and we’ll do our best to defend ourselves.

Zoey: Sounds just like modern-day herd animals. So why do you have an electric fence? You’re herbivores.

Stella: I suppose because we’re big and could potentially stomp on someone. And as I mentioned before, we charge, too, like rhinos. But we’re not as bad as him. [looks toward T. rex exhibit] Hey, Terrence, I bet you’d like a bite of this, huh? [waggles her flank] Too bad you’re stuck way over there!

Zoey: Besides, um, teasing Terrence, how do you keep entertained around here?

Stella: The zookeepers don’t have much to go on since they weren’t actually around during our reign, but they’ve provided us with a few pursuit balls, a dinosaur prey dummy—which is of absolutely no interest to me—and a scratching post. The scratching post I like…

Zoey: Well, Stella, thanks so much for your time. I’ve got a lot of great material here.

Stella: No, thank you! We certainly need the publicity.

Zeek: Mind if I get a picture? Maybe a group shot or two?

Stella: Go for it! Just make sure the caption doesn’t say “Triceratops”!