Protoceratops Size report
Protoceratops is a genus of small protoceratopsid dinosaurs that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous, around 75 to 71 million years ago. The genus Protoceratops includes two species: P. andrewsi and the larger P. hellenikorhinus. Protoceratops lived in the late Cretaceous dinosaur and were short-limbed quadruped.
About 80-75 million years ago, Protoceratops thrived in Central Asia. About 20 million years ago, a ceratopsian species similar to Protoceratops is thought to have migrated from Asia to North America via a land bridge that spanned Siberia and Alaska. Descendants of this dinosaur eventually evolved into gigantic ceratopsians such as Triceratops.
Protoceratops was first discovered in Mongolia, and many specimens have since been found in that nation and northern China. Protoceratops had long, sharp teeth, a bony frill in the neck, and large jaw muscles. Paleontologists speculate that they probably ate palm leaves. The following post will share more interesting facts about Protoceratops' growth size and living habits.
Protoceratops Size And Appearance
Protoceratops was a fairly small and primitive group of ceratopsians or horned dinosaurs. Although the horns disappeared as the species evolved, Protoceratops had a distinct bump above the nostril and thickened bones over the large eye sockets, about 50 mm in diameter. Protoceratops was a quadruped dinosaur with a large frill on its neck consisting mostly of parietal bones and part of squamous bones that was probably used for species identification and display. The size and shape of the bony neck frill vary from individual to individual. Some researchers have attributed the different sizes and shapes of the frills to sexual dimorphism and age variation. Protoceratops was herbivorous but appeared to have strong chewing muscles and a powerful bite. The hind limbs were more strongly developed than the forelimbs, which gave the back a pronounced arch.
Average Size of Protoceratops
Protoceratops was a small ceratopsian with a large head and was still a relatively large animal. Protoceratops was about 1.8-2.5 meters long and 0.6-1 meter high at the shoulders. Adult Protoceratops weighed around 60-105 kilograms in body mass. While adults were largely quadrupedal, juveniles could walk around bipedally if necessary. A large number of highly concentrated specimens show that Protoceratops lived in groups.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Type | ceratopsian |
| Known locations | China, Mongolia |
| Diet | herbivorous |
| When it lived | Late Cretaceous period |
| How it moved | 4 legs |
| Overall Length | 1.8-2.5 m |
| Standing Height | 0.6-1 m |
| Average Weight | 60-105 kg |
Final Words
The appearance of the Protoceratops is very similar to the famous Triceratops, but it is smaller and has no horns on its head. A large number of bones, nests, eggs and small dinosaur fossils of Protoceratops dinosaurs have been discovered in Mongolia and Inner Mongolia of China, which caused a sensation all over the world. Protoceratops eggs were once the earliest dinosaur eggs discovered in the world, but they are now known to belong to the small carnivorous dinosaur Oviraptor.
