Zavacephale

Zava head (second element: 'head')

• Zava · Mongolian · first element; exact derivation not confirmed
• kephale · Greek · head

The second half of the name comes from the Greek "kephale", meaning "head", a common ending for dome-headed pachycephalosaurs. The first element, "Zava", is of Mongolian/Tibetan Buddhist origin, but I am not certain of its exact derivation. The only species, Zavacephale rinpoche, has a species name meaning "precious one", which refers to its well-preserved skull dome.

Year named

2024

Period

Early Cretaceous

Found in

Khuren Dukh Formation, Eastern Gobi, Mongolia

A pachycephalosaur (dome-headed dinosaur). It is one of the oldest known members of the group, and its holotype has an early-developed frontoparietal dome. Type species is Zavacephale rinpoche. The author list, exact stages and the origin of "Zava" are not confirmed here.