Cryolophosaurus ellioti

Overview

Cryolophosaurus, meaning "frozen crested lizard," was a large predatory dinosaur that lived in Antarctica approximately 194 million years ago during the Early Jurassic. Famous for its bizarre pompadour-like crest that swept forward like an Elvis hairdo, this is one of the only large dinosaurs ever found on the frozen continent—though back then, Antarctica was much warmer!

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Taxonomy & Classification

• Clade: Theropoda
• Family: Uncertain (possibly related to Dilophosaurus)
• Diet: Carnivorous
• Locomotion: Bipedal

Cryolophosaurus represents an important stage in theropod evolution.

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Physical Characteristics

Size & Build

• Length: 6-7 meters (20-23 feet)
• Height: About 2.5 meters (8 feet) at the hip
• Weight: 460-500 kg (1,000-1,100 lbs)
• Build: Long-legged, agile predator

The "Elvisaurus" Crest

Cryolophosaurus had an incredible head decoration:

• A fan-shaped crest that swept forward!
• Looked like an Elvis pompadour hairstyle
• Earned it the nickname "Elvisaurus"
• Probably used for display and recognition
• May have been brightly colored
• Only known theropod with a forward-facing crest

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Antarctic Dinosaur

A Different Antarctica

When Cryolophosaurus lived:

• Antarctica was part of Gondwana supercontinent
• Climate was much warmer than today
• Forests covered the land—no ice!
• Connected to Africa, South America, Australia
• Still had long polar nights and cool temperatures

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Apex Predator of the South

What It Hunted

Cryolophosaurus probably ate:

• Prosauropods (early long-necked dinosaurs)
• Glacialisaurus was found nearby—likely prey!
• Other smaller dinosaurs and reptiles
• The largest predator in its ecosystem

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Discovery Story

Found in Frozen Rock

• Discovered in 1991 on Mt. Kirkpatrick, Antarctica
• One of the highest altitude dinosaur finds (4,000m elevation!)
• Named in 1994 by William Hammer
• Species name "ellioti" honors David Elliot, who discovered it
• Extracting fossils in Antarctica is extremely difficult!

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Scientific Importance

Why It Matters

Cryolophosaurus is important because:

• First large meat-eating dinosaur from Antarctica
• Shows dinosaurs lived everywhere—even polar regions!
• Helps understand Early Jurassic dinosaur evolution
• Links dinosaurs of the northern and southern hemispheres
• Proves Antarctica had a diverse ecosystem

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Cryolophosaurus vs. Dilophosaurus

Feature	Cryolophosaurus	Dilophosaurus
Length	6-7m	6-7m
Crest	Forward-facing fan	Two parallel crests
Location	Antarctica	North America
Time	Early Jurassic	Early Jurassic

Both lived at similar times but on different continents!

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Cool Facts

• Nicknamed "Elvisaurus" because its crest looks like Elvis's hair!
• The only dinosaur with a crest that curves forward
• Found at 4,000 meters elevation—one of the highest dinosaur sites
• Antarctica was forested when Cryolophosaurus lived there
• Scientists had to work in extreme cold to excavate it
• It's one of the only large theropods from the Early Jurassic
• Proves dinosaurs could handle unusual conditions

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Cryolophosaurus was the king of Early Jurassic Antarctica—an Elvis-crested predator that proves dinosaurs conquered every continent on Earth!