Physical Description
The protoceratops was one of the smaller dinosaurs. They were about 3 feet tall and roughly 7 feet long. They walked on four legs, which were all the same size and had distinctive frills at the back of their neck. The protoceratops was a relatively light dinosaur at around 900 pounds. It had a neck much like that of a modern day turtle. They were roughly the size of a common sheep, though perhaps a bit longer on average. There were some features that differentiated males apart from females. Specifically, the frills on the neck of a protoceratops male were longer than that of a female.
Lifestyle
The protoceratops was a plant eating animal. They would associate in packs. Without being in a pack the protoceratops would be a very easy target for larger carnivorous dinosaurs, such as the T-Rex. The main predator of protoceratops however, was most likely the velociraptor. When it came to defending themselves, their primary method would have been its strong, sharp beak.
It has been suggested, that the frills on the back of the protoceratop’s neck were probably used for mating. When reproducing, they would lay eggs in the sand near a pond.
Protoceratops History
The protoceratops lived in the late cretaceous period, about 80 million years ago. Fossils have been found in Mongolia, and that is were most protoceratops were said to have lived.
Did You Know?
There was a fossil found in Mongolia of a protoceratops and a velociraptor fighting. Evidence like this, of two species interacting at the moment on their demise, is rare.
In early times, a skull of a protoceratops lead natives to believe that it was the head of a mythical creature, such as a griffin.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Sauropsida
- Order: Ornithiscia
- Family: Protoceratopsidae
- Genus: Protoceratops
- Species: P. Andrewsi