Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Protoceratops andrewsi

Pronunciation: Pro-toe-sara-tops an-drews-eye
Meaning: Andrew’s before-horned-face
Period: Late Cretaceous
Length: 2m
Weight: 50Kg
Fossil discoveries: Mongolia, China
Diet: Plants

Protoceratops is commonly known as the ancient arch-enemy of Velociraptor. In one particular fossil discovery, the skeletons of Velociraptor and a Protoceratops are entangled in a deathly embrace; the former has a toe-claw stuck into the latter’s neck, and an arm caught in the parrot-like beak. (see below)

Protoceratops was the largest of the horn-faced dinosaurs to be found in Asia, and is often seen as an intermediate form between the smaller Bagaceratops and the larger, North American Ceratopsoideans.

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