Page 105 - Prehistoric Animals

Proto-Ser-A-Tops

Protoceratops

What is a Dinosaur ?
Known as a Dinosaur

Protoceratops (First horned face) is a genus of small
protoceratopsid dinosaurs; it lived during the Late Cretaceous,
around 75 to 71 million years ago. It was around 2 to 3 metres
in length and weighed in around 62 to 104 kg.

Protoceratops, was a four-limbed herbivorous dinosaur.
It had a large triangular shaped skull with a huge curved beak.
A stiff bony neck-frill flared out from the back of the scull pro-
tecting its neck. It did not have a horn. However, it did have a
small bony structure protruding out from its snout and a heavy
bone ridge above its exceptionally large eyes. Its shorter fore-
limbs had five fingers with broad nail like protrusions at their
tips. Its longer rear limbs had broad feet with four broad toes.

Protoceratops was first unearthed in Mongolia, then lat-
er discovered in China. It was named by Walter W. Granger &
William King Gregory in 1923. Many of the specimens found in
China, however, have shown differences across the species. One
main difference is in size; some can be large while others rela-
tively small. Some other differences do exist, like the composi-
tion of the frill and bony horn on the spout. This makes the
aforementioned description of Protoceratops only general and
not representative of all the species.

Protoceratops is important in the history of dinosaurs.
It’s thought to have migrated from Asia to North America via a
strip of land connecting what is now Siberia and Alaska. This
move is believed to make it a candidate as a possible ancestor of
the huge horned ceratopsians such as Triceratops that came to
dominate North America. Other interesting facts are that it has
the only known fossil to have been discovered in combat with a
predatory raptor. While in full combat they’re thought to have
been buried by an avalanche. Also, ancient Greeks are believed
to have discover the fossils of Protoceratops and believed them
to be the remains of the Griffin, a mythical creature that was
the guardian of treasure and divine power.

Protoceratops disappearance was thought to be caused
by an environmental event that occurred at the end of the Cre-
taceous which is believed to be responsible for the extinction of
the dinosaurs.