Trice rato ps
One of the most well-known dinosaurs, the Triceratops was
a herbivorous titan that was very well equipped for a fight
Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous
dinosaur that comprises two validated
species – Triceratops horridus and
Triceratops prorsus, both of which roamed Earth
during the Late Cretaceous period (68-65 Ma) before
being eradicated in the K-T mass-extinction event
that w iped out all dinosaurs.
Triceratops were large, rhinoceros-like animals
that weighed many tonnes – a f ully grow n adult
would be expected to weigh in the region of seven
tonnes. They were heav ily armoured w ith
reinforced bone horns, which could exceed 70
centimetres (28 inches) and a solid bone frill, and
hugely powerful thanks to their sturdy frame. These
traits, combined, made both species of Triceratops a
fearsome foe to potential predators, capable of
puncturing fl esh and shattering bone w ith their
sharp horns when charging.In terms of anatomy (for a comprehensive
rundow n, see the ‘Triceratops anatomy’
illustration), the Triceratops genus is incredibly
interesting, not least because many of its parts’
f unctions are still debated today in the fi eld of
palaeontolog y. A good example of this can be seen
by analysing a typical Triceratops skull, which –
aside from t y pically measuring a whopping two
metres (6.6 feet) in length – sported three horns as
well as a fl uted, extravagant rear frill.
The horns, from which the genus gets its name,
and frill have been successfully argued by
palaeontologists to have been used for self-defence
against predators, with close examination of
unearthed specimens revealing battle scars, cuts,
punctures and cracks. However, modern scholars
also postulate that both skull features, along w ith
the elongated nature of the skull itself, most likelyalso evolved as courtship aids, w ith potential mates
selected on the size and shape of these features. It
has also been suggested that the frill may have
helped Triceratops regulate their body temperature
in a similar manner to the plate-laden Stegosaurus
(whose name translates as roof, or covered, lizard).
Other anatomical areas of interest lie in this
dinosaur’s large bird-like beak and hips. Indeed, it is
because of these particular features that this genus
has been used as a reference point in the defi nition
of all dinosaurs – ie all dinosaurs are descendants of
the most recent common ancestor of Triceratops
and, as such, this common ancestor is also that of
birds prevalent throughout the world today. It’s
important to note here that modern birds did not
descend from triceratops directly, but rather from its
common ancestor with all other dinosaurs; today’s
birds in fact originate from saurischian dinosaurs.Artwork depicting Triceratops
horridus, one of the last species
of ceratopsia to evolve before the
extinction of the dinosaurs
around 65 million years agoDINOSAURS
Triceratops
Tail
The long tail of the triceratops
helped it to balance and
counteracted the weight of
its super-heavy front endFrill
The Triceratops’ large, solid bone
frill is thought to have evolved as
a courtship display aid, rather
than a defensive shield structure