Buzz
Dinosaurs are still a part of our world. They’ve thundered across the screen, left their marks in museums, and captured our imaginations. Let’s dive in and explore a bit more about the famous three-horned herbivore, the Triceratops.
1. It’s South Dakota’s Official State Fossil
And for anyone who doubts the significance of Triceratops, it’s also designated as Wyoming’s “State Dinosaur” (a category of its own, by the way).
2. The Shape of Those Iconic Horns Changed as They Grew
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Research shows that young Triceratops started out with small, stubby horns. As they matured, the horns gradually began to curve backward, eventually pointing in the opposite direction and taking on their characteristic shape once the dinosaur reached adulthood. Check out the 12:10 mark in this amazing TED talk for more information:
3. Triceratops Fights Could Get Quite Intense
These formidable creatures were prone to picking up scars, especially in certain areas! Often, distinctive marks are discovered near their eye sockets and at the base of their frills. Why those areas? According to a study conducted in 2009, these injuries were probably the result of adult Triceratops locking horns in fierce battles.
4. T. rex Couldn't Resist Snacking on Triceratops Faces
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Evidence in the form of distinct bite marks shows that Tyrannosaurus didn’t just feast on Triceratops, but often targeted the soft facial tissue during its attacks, while leaving the tougher, less fleshy parts of the skull relatively untouched.
5. Triceratops Skull Prices Have Skyrocketed
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Even dinosaurs aren’t immune to rising prices. Back in 1997, the typical Triceratops skull (gathered by fossil hunters) was valued at around $2500. Today, however, museums and private collectors are usually required to pay over ten times that amount to acquire one!
6. Triceratops Had Impressive Posture
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Early illustrations portrayed Triceratops with its front legs splayed out to the sides, much like a modern crocodile. However, further examination of its elbow joint revealed that it actually moved with an upright, rhino-like stance.
7. Triceratops Was Once Mistaken for a Giant Bison
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During the American Gilded Age, paleontologist Othneil Charles Marsh received a pair of fossilized horn fragments, which he initially believed came from a massive, ancient bovine. However, further discoveries in the region led him to realize that he had stumbled upon a dinosaur, which he later named “Triceratops” (meaning “Three-Horned Face”).
8. In 1889, Someone Actually Tried to Lasso a Triceratops
While in the badlands of Wyoming, one of Marsh’s colleagues—a brilliant scientist named John Bell Hatcher—was approached by a rancher who had discovered a large, mysterious skull on his land. It turned out to be one of the first-ever Triceratops fossils. Unaware of its importance, the rancher tried to drag off his find by tossing a lasso over one of its horns, which promptly broke off.
9. The Triceratops’ Head Was Almost One-Third of Its Total Body Length
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There’s no denying it: Triceratops sported an impressive head that could measure up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) from end to end. In contrast, the rest of its body reached a length of around 8 meters (26.25 feet).
10. The Media Incorrectly Declared Its Name ‘Dead’
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Let’s set the record straight—once and for all—while Triceratops may no longer roam the Earth, its scientific name is far from extinct. Why is this important? For years, the media has mistakenly claimed that Triceratops Never Existed.
The debate started in 2010 when paleontologist Jack Horner co-authored a paper suggesting that Triceratops and Torosaurus (a closely related dinosaur) were actually the same species. Since no organism can officially go by two names, if Horner's theory is correct, one of these names would need to be dropped. But don't worry, fellow fossil enthusiasts! The more well-known name was introduced two years earlier, giving it priority. So, while we might lose Torosaurus, Triceratops is here to stay!
