Triceratops

**Triceratops** is herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago (mya) in what is now North America.

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## Appearance

*Triceratops* are estimated to have reached about 7.9 to 9.0 m (25.9–29.5 ft) in length, 2.9 to 3.0 m (9.5 to 9.8 ft) in height, and 6.1–12.0 tonnes (13,000–26,000 lb) in weight. The most distinctive feature is their large skull, among the largest of all land animals. The largest known skull (specimen MWC 7584, formerly BYU 12183) is estimated to have been 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length when complete, and could reach almost a third of the length of the entire animal. It bore a single horn on the snout, above the nostrils, and a pair of horns approximately 1 m (3.3 ft) long, with one above each eye. In 2010, paleontologists revealed a fossil (named "Yoshi's Trike," MOR 3027) with 115-centimetre-long (3.77 ft) horn cores, housed and displayed at the Museum of the Rockies in Montana. To the rear of the skull was a relatively short, bony frill, adorned with epoccipitals in some specimens. Most other ceratopsids had large fenestrae in their frills, while those of *Triceratops* were noticeably solid.

## Information

Although *Triceratops* are commonly portrayed as herding animals, there is currently little evidence that they lived in herds. While several other genera of horned dinosaurs are known from bonebeds preserving bones from two to hundreds or thousands of individuals, to date there is only one documented bonebed dominated by *Triceratops* bones: a site in southeastern Montana with the remains of three juveniles. It may be significant that only juveniles were present. Another, more recent find may reveal that *Triceratops* lived in small family groups. In 2012, a group of three *Triceratops* in relatively complete condition, each of varying sizes from a full-grown adult to a small juvenile, were found in Wyoming, near Newcastle. The remains are currently under excavation by paleontologist Peter Larson and a team from the Black Hills Institute. It is believed that the animals were traveling as a family unit, but it remains unknown if the group consists of a mated pair and their offspring, or two females and a juvenile they were caring for. The remains also show signs of predation or scavenging from *Tyrannosaurus*, particularly on the largest specimen, with the bones of the front limbs showing breakage and puncture wounds from *Tyrannosaurus* teeth. For many years, *Triceratops* finds were known only from solitary individuals.

The function of their frills and three distinctive facial horns has long inspired debate. Although traditionally viewed as defensive weapons against predators, the latest theories claim that it is more probable that these features were used in courtship and dominance displays, much like the antlers and horns of modern reindeer, mountain goats, or rhinoceros beetles.

## Known Triceratops

* Stacy's Herd
	+ Stacy Hirano
	+ Kona
	+ Keira
	+ Tiara
	+ Tryk
	+ Tuck
	+ Coltraine

* Tria's Herd
	+ Tria
	+ Cera
	+ Tricia
	+ Cera's Father
	+ Pepe

* Mother Triceratops
* Cera's Mother
* Dinah and Dana
* Trey
* Tiny

## Trivia

* Although it shared the landscape with and was preyed upon by Tyrannosaurus rex, it is unclear whether the two battled the way they are commonly depicted in movies, children's dinosaur books and many cartoons.
* The one living animal today that has three horns like Triceratops is the Jackson's Chameleon.