Protoceratops Psittacosaurus
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Asian Ancestry (fig. b, Ceratopsids, including the iconic Triceratops, represent one of the most fascinating and widely recognized dinosaur groups ever discovered. izarre, diverse, and awesome— Back in Asia, Aquilops-like animals evolved *Protoceratops the ceratopsid dinosaurs of into larger Protoceratops-like animals by western North America in the 95 million years ago, with an expanded Order Ornithischia B Late Cretaceous displayed the largest, frill (fig. b, blue) and a larger jaw to eat Psittacosaurus Suborder Ceratopsia 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 Late Cretaceous, gray) in their upper jaw and a cheek Diet plants 73 million years ago (jugal) spine (fig. a, red). Psittacosaurus Age Early Cretaceous, Distribution of Fossil 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 reptile”) 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.