In Depth
The first pachycepahlosaurid dinosaur known from Alaska, Alaskacephale is also one of the few dinosaurs known to have lived in the area that would become that state. Unfortunately not a lot is known about this dinosaur because of a current sever lack of remains, but the original describers believe that Alaskacephale may have been roughly the same size as the better preserved Prenocephale.
The holotype specimen of Alaskacephale was first described by Gangloff, Fiorillo and Norton in 2005, but it was not established as a genus until it was re-described by Sullivan in 2006. The genus name is in reference to the state of Alaska and the fact that it is a pachycephalosaurid dinosaur. The type species name is in honour of R. A. Gangloffi, one of the original describers.
Further Reading
- The first pachycephalosaurine (Dinosauria) from the Paleo-Arctic of Alaska and its paleogeographic implications, R. A. Gangloff, A. R. Fiorillo & D. W. Norton - 2005. - A taxonomic review of the Pachycephalosauridae (Dinosauria: Ornithischia), R. M. Sullivan 2006.
