Asian Ancestry (fig. b,

Ceratopsids, including the iconic , represent one of the most fascinating and widely recognized groups ever discovered.

izarre, diverse, and awesome— Back in Asia, Aquilops-like evolved * the ceratopsid of into larger Protoceratops-like animals by western in the 95 million years ago, with an expanded Order B Late displayed the largest, frill (fig. b, blue) and a larger jaw to eat Suborder most highly ornamented heads of any tougher vegetation. This increasing size Infraorder Neoceratopsia land animals, ever. Their complex forms and weight of the head forced the animals Ornithischia Order Family Protoceratopsidae evolved over millions of years. to walk on four feet. Ceratopsia Suborder Size 5–6 ft (1.5–1.8m), Family Psittacosauridae 200–300 lbs (90–140kg) Early Asian forms, like Psittacosaurus Size 4–6 ft (1.2–1.8m), Size comparison sheep were small and walked on two legs. They 50–60 lbs (20–25kg) displayed distinct ceratopsian traits, Diet plants medium-size dog including a beak (rostral) bone (fig. a, Size comparison Age , gray) in their upper jaw and a cheek Diet plants 73 million years ago (jugal) spine (fig. a, red). Psittacosaurus Age , Distribution of 100–125 million years ago Gobi Desert, Mongolia, and China used the beak to slice through tough vegetation and crack cones and nuts. Distribution of Fossil Cool Fact Mongolia, Siberia, and China • Protoceratops means “first horned face.” Psittacosaurs evolved into a form that

Cool Facts migrated to North America some 105–115 • Psittacosaurus (“sih-TACK- BRIAN ENGH oh-sore-us”) (“parrot ”) million years ago, probably eastward, A family of Aquilops americanus. was named for the parrot-like across the Bering Strait region. The only appearance of its skull, largely a named member of the North American result of possessing a beak-like group, Aquilops, was about upper jaw, or rostral bone—a trait shared by all the ceratopsids. the same size and appearance as Psittacosaurus, but had a slightly Have been found preserved with • larger frill . skin and feather-like quills. (fig. a, blue) Recent excavations in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument have uncovered a new and exciting chapter in ceratopsid evolution. The skull you see mounted on the wall * directly above, is Protoceratops