Triceratops

Triceratops is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous Period around 68–66 million years ago. It has appeared in a few Disney projects.
==Background==
===Real life===
Triceratops (meaning "three-horned face") is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the late Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68–66 million years ago in what is now western North America. It was one of the last-known non-avian dinosaurs and lived until the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago. Bearing a large bony frill, three horns on the skull, and a large, four-legged body, exhibiting convergent evolution with bovines and rhinos, Triceratops is one of the most recognizable of all dinosaurs and the best-known ceratopsian. It was also one of the largest, measuring around 8–9 meters (26–30 ft) long and weighing up to 6–10 metric tons (6.6–11 short tons).
Triceratops shared the landscape with and was most likely preyed upon by Tyrannosaurus, though it is less certain that two adults would battle in the fanciful manner often depicted in museum displays and popular media. The functions of the frills and three distinctive facial horns on its head have inspired countless debates. Traditionally, these have been viewed as defensive weapons against predators. More recent interpretations find it probable that these features were primarily used in species identification, courtship, and dominance display, much like the antlers and horns of modern ungulates.
Triceratops was traditionally placed within the "short-frilled" ceratopsids, but modern cladistic studies show it to be a member of , which usually have long frills. Two species, T. horridus and T. prorsus, are considered valid today.
==Appearances==
===Fantasia===
Many Triceratops appear in The Rite of Spring segment as adults and babies. They move in herds to find food. Many were seen running when the Tyrannosaurus rex attacks, one of which ran into a lake to swim away as three Brachiosaurus dove down to avoid the T. rex as well. During the drought at the end of the segment, Triceratops walks with other dinosaurs to find more food and water, but all of them end up going extinct from starvation and dehydration.
===DuckTales===
===Dinosaurs===
===The Little Mermaid (TV series)===
A Triceratops also appears in The Little Mermaid episode "Land of the Dinosaurs", along with an Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus rex.
===Mighty Ducks===
In the episode "Jurassic Puck", a pair of Triceratops were one of the few dinosaurs brought to life by Lord Dragaunus from a test tube in the laboratory. They later started rampaging in Anaheim.
===The Legend of Tarzan===
===Gravity Falls===
A Triceratops appeared briefly in "Land Before Swine".
===Mickey Mouse===
A Goofy version of a Triceratops makes a cameo in "Outta Time".
===Toy Story franchise===
===Disney Parks===
====Disneyland====
A family of Triceratops is seen watching their eggs hatch during the Primeval World diorama on the Disneyland Railroad.
====Walt Disney World====
At Disney's Animal Kingdom, the spinner attraction TriceraTop Spin of DinoLand, U.S.A. features tin-toy Triceratops vehicles for a Dumbo-esque spinner. These being themed around a roadside attraction at the Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama amusement-park.
Several Triceratops were shown on the "Theories of Extinction" mural when it was displayed in the queue for Dinosaur until it was replaced in the most recent refurbishment.
====Tokyo Disney Resort====
The skeleton of a Triceratops can be seen in the rock work of Big Thunder Mountain from the Western River Railroad, being visible right before entering the Primeval World display.
A Triceratops skull is among the cargo at the New York docks at Tokyo DisneySea's American Waterfront, apparently on the way to the American Museum of Natural History.
===Comics===
A Triceratops is part of the dinosaur stampede seen in the 1957 Carl Barks comic Forbidden Valley. In its 1999 sequel Escape From Forbidden Valley by Don Rosa, a Triceratops destroys Uncle Scrooge's plane.
In the 2002 Mickey Mouse comic The Road to Hoola-Hoopa, Mickey and Goofy discover a surviving population of Triceratops hidden in the South American jungle and worshipped by indigenous people. At the end, they save the dinosaurs from two poachers.
==Trivia==
*Triceratops was incorrectly shown to have legs that sprawled out like those of a lizard. In real life, Triceratops had legs directly underneath its body like those of a rhino.
*There are currently two species of Triceratops known from the fossil record: T. horridus and T. prorsus.
*At one point in time, Triceratops was often believed to be a younger version of another ceratopsian, . This was mostly due to the fact that they were in the same subgroup of ceratopsians and had lived in the same fossil formations, though Torosaurus was more common in the south and Triceratops being more common in the north. However, a study by Yale University published in 2012 proved that they are distinct species.
*In the Hell Creek Formation, a specimen of Triceratops preserved with skin impressions indicates that it may have been covered with quills or bristles in addition to scales. A similar type of pelage was found on , a distant relative. 
*Triceratops was supposed to be on Disney's Dinosaur, as it was seen in the concept art, but was cut including its cousin, .
*Two Triceratops named Sam and Will were supposed to be seen in The Good Dinosaur, as they were seen in the toy sales, but both were cut from the film.
==Gallery==
===Fantasia===
Rite of Spring - Triceratops hiding.jpg
Rite of Spring - 2 baby Triceratops.jpg
Rite of Spring - 2 Triceratops.jpg
Rite of Spring - Herbivorous dinosaurs notice Tyrannosaurus.jpg|The group of herbivorous dinosaurs look at Tyrannosaurus rex and notice that it's coming towards them.
Rite of Spring - Herbivorous dinosaurs about to run from Tyrannosaurus.jpg|Triceratops, two Parasaurolophus, Corythosaurus, and a Plateosaurus are about to run away from the T. rex.
Rite of Spring - Triceratops and Brachiosaurus.jpg
Rite of Spring - Herbivorous dinosaurs watch fight between Stego and T-rex.jpg|A Triceratops is watching the T. rex and Stegosaurus fighting to the death, along with a Parasaurolophus, Corythosaurus, and Brachiosaurus.
Rite of Spring - Herbivorous dinosaurs witness T-rex killing Stego.jpg
Rite of Spring - Tyrannosaurus has killed Stegosaurus.jpg|A Triceratops along with a Parasaurolophus, Diplodocus, Corythosaurus, and Dimetrodon looking at the end of the death of the Stegosaurus after it was killed by the T. rex.
Rite of Spring - Triceratops drinking.png
Rite of Spring - Dinosaurs dying of dehydration.jpg
===Miscellaneous===
Landofthedinosaurs164.jpg
Mighty Ducks Triceratops.jpg|Two Triceratops in the Mighty Ducks episode "Jurassic Puck"
Dinosaur species book in Tarzan.jpg|A Triceratops under a Velociraptor in a book in The Legend of Tarzan episode "Tarzan and the Hidden World"
Land Before Swine (302).jpg|A Triceratops in Gravity Falls
Mickey Mouse - Outta Time 5.jpg|A Triceratops and Spinosaurus with Goofy's face
Trixie the Triceratops.png|Trixie from the Toy Story franchise
Sam the Triceratops.jpg.png
Will the Triceratops.jpg.png
Disney Emoji Blitz - Item Emoji - Triceratops.png|A Triceratops' item emoji in Disney Emoji Blitz
Disney Dinosaur heads & necks concept by William Stout.jpg|Original concept art for Dinosaur by William Stout
Tricera-model-sheet.png
Disney Dinosaur herd stuck in swamp concept.jpg
Disney Dinosaur herds gathering in circle concept.png
===Theme parks and other live appearances/Non-theme park appearances===
TriceraTop Spin.jpg|TriceraTop Spin
Dinosaur Jubilee Stan.jpg|Two Triceratops skeletons with the skeleton replica of Stan the T. rex in Dinosaur Jubilee
Boneyard Triceratops.jpg|Triceratops skulls clash in the Boneyard Playground at Disney's Animal Kingdom
AMNH Triceratops and Edmontosaurus.jpg|A Triceratops skeleton at the 
==External links==
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*Triceratops
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