Triceratops Jurassic World Evolution 2

Did you know that the Triceratops was a ceratopsid dinosaur? Did you know that it had three horns, a giant skull, and spikes? If not, read on! You'll learn how this dinosaur lived, what it ate, and how it adapted to life in North America. It may surprise you! But before we get to that, let's take a closer look at the creature's skull.

Triceratops was a ceratopsid

The Triceratops was a large, plant-eating dinosaur. The Triceratops was a ceratopsid, one of the largest four-legged dinosaurs that lived in Asia. It had a beak, rows of teeth in the back of its jaw, and elaborate frills. Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how it moved, but they do know that it was probably not a quadruped.

It had a huge skull

The giant dinosaur Triceratops roamed western North America during the late Cretaceous Period, about 100 million years ago. It had a massive skull, which was nearly 30 feet long and 10 feet high at the hips. It also weighed 12 tons, and had three horns. One specimen, now displayed in the WVGES Museum, is 6.5 feet long and five feet wide. It was found in the state of South Dakota, but scientists didn't know where it came from, as West Virginia's sedimentary rocks were too old to contain any dinosaur remains.

It had three horns

The Triceratops was a giant plant-eating dinosaur with three horns on its head. These horns were short on the nose and longer at the top of the head. This dinosaur also had a long neck shield known as a "frill" which protected it from predators. The horns were a unique feature of the Triceratops, and the three of them were most likely used for defense.

It had spikes

One of the most striking features of Triceratops was the bony frill that adorned the top of its head. These horns resemble modern-day rhinoceros and were likely a warning to predators. The horns would have been extremely menacing and dangerous for prey - it would take an especially desperate predator to actually attack one of these creatures. However, we do not know for certain if these horns were used for defense or as decorations.

It lived in small groups

Triceratops were herbivores. They probably ate low-growing plants, as their low-slung head and beak made for effective plucking. Perhaps they used their horns and bulk to knock down taller plants, but these are theories. They lived in groups of up to a dozen individuals, perhaps even several hundred. But a single specimen of a Triceratops fossil remains incomplete and unreliable.

It may have cared for its young

The frills on the head and tail of Triceratops may have helped it select mates. The skull frill ballooned in size as it matured. Whether these frills served as defense mechanisms are debatable. However, lesions on Triceratops skulls indicate that the animal may have fought. Triceratops was the only ceratopsian known to have fossils, and most of these bones are found in its own species.