Triceratops horridus

Overview

Triceratops, meaning "three-horned face," is one of the most beloved and recognizable dinosaurs of all time. This magnificent horned giant lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 to 66 million years ago, right up until the mass extinction event that ended the age of dinosaurs.

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Taxonomy & Classification

• Clade: Ornithischia (bird-hipped dinosaurs)
• Family: Ceratopsidae
• Diet: Herbivorous
• Locomotion: Quadrupedal

Triceratops was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs to exist before the extinction event.

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Physical Characteristics

Size & Build

• Length: 8-9 meters (26-30 feet)
• Height: About 3 meters (10 feet) at the hips
• Weight: 6,000-12,000 kg (6-12 tons)
• Skull Length: Up to 2.5 meters (8 feet)—one of the largest skulls of any land animal!

The Three Horns

• Two brow horns: Up to 1 meter (3 feet) long, positioned above the eyes
• One nose horn: Shorter, located on the snout
• Made of solid bone with a keratin covering (like your fingernails)
• Probably used for defense, display, and combat with rivals

The Frill

• Large bony shield extending from the back of the skull
• Could be over 2 meters (7 feet) wide
• May have been used for:
  • Protection from predator bites to the neck
  • Display to attract mates or intimidate rivals
  • Temperature regulation through blood vessels
  • Species recognition

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Triceratops vs. T. rex

The Ultimate Showdown

Triceratops and T. rex lived at the same time and place, and fossil evidence shows they actually fought:

• A Triceratops horn was found with T. rex bite marks that had healed
• T. rex teeth have been found embedded in Triceratops frills
• This proves Triceratops could survive T. rex attacks!

Defense Strategy

• Faced predators head-on, presenting its horns and frill
• May have charged like a modern rhinoceros
• Herds could have formed defensive circles to protect young

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Diet & Feeding

Plant-Powered Giant

• Had a parrot-like beak for snipping tough plants
• Rows of teeth behind the beak for grinding vegetation
• Teeth constantly replaced throughout life (like sharks!)
• Fed on palms, cycads, and ferns
• Low head position meant it ate ground-level plants

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Famous Fossils

"Big John"

• The largest Triceratops skeleton ever discovered
• Skull is 2.62 meters (8.6 feet) long
• Sold at auction for €6.6 million in 2021
• Named after the landowner where it was found

Abundance of Fossils

• Triceratops is one of the most commonly found dinosaur fossils
• Over 50 skulls and many complete skeletons discovered
• Shows they were very successful animals

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Growth & Development

Changing as They Grew

Baby and adult Triceratops looked very different:

• Young Triceratops had smaller horns that curved backward
• Horns changed direction as they grew, eventually curving forward
• Frills became larger and more elaborate with age
• This confused early scientists who thought they were different species!

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Cool Facts

• Triceratops had one of the largest skulls of any land animal ever
• Despite having horns, they're more closely related to birds than to rhinoceroses
• A baby Triceratops was about the size of a small dog
• They may have lived in herds for protection
• Triceratops is the state dinosaur of Wyoming and South Dakota

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Triceratops was one of the last great dinosaurs, a magnificent beast that stood its ground against the mighty T. rex and has captured our imagination ever since!