Triceratops

Triceratops is a genus of large, four-legged, plant-eating ceratopsian dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of western North America.

Triceratops is a genus of large, four-legged, plant-eating ceratopsian dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of western North America. It is known for its three facial horns, large bony neck frill, and status as one of the last non-avian dinosaurs before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.

Description

Triceratops was a horned dinosaur with two long brow horns, a shorter nose horn, and a broad bony frill. It walked on four legs and had teeth adapted for chewing tough plant material.

Diet and behaviour

It was an herbivore that fed on low-growing, tough plants. Some educational sources note that the frill and horns may have been used in defence and display, though these functions are inferred from anatomy rather than directly observed.

Fossil record

Triceratops fossils are known from western North America and are among the most frequently found dinosaur fossils. Their abundance has made the genus important for studying Late Cretaceous ceratopsians.

Extinction

Triceratops lived near the end of the Cretaceous Period and disappeared in the mass extinction event 66 million years ago. It is widely described as one of the last non-avian dinosaurs.