Buzz
Among the final dinosaurs to walk the Earth, Leptoceratops inhabited North America during the late Cretaceous period 66 million years ago, yet its appearance resembled that of a relic from an earlier era.
1. Leptoceratops Existed in the Shadow of a More Famous Relative.
Few ancient creatures can boast the fame of Triceratops. This large, beaked herbivore has been honored as South Dakota’s official state fossil and serves as the mascot for the Colorado Rockies. As one of the most evolved ceratopsians (or “horned dinosaurs”) ever discovered, its scientific importance is immeasurable.
In contrast, Leptoceratops appears remarkably primitive. This small dinosaur shares numerous characteristics with the earliest ceratopsians, such as the absence of horns and a barely noticeable frill. Despite this, it coexisted with Triceratops in North America 66 million years ago. The size disparity was striking: an adult Leptoceratops could have easily passed beneath the larger dinosaur’s body.
2. Most Researchers Believe It Possessed Cheeks.
Illustration by Bill Parsons
Scientific artists often depict ceratopsians with fleshy “cheek tissues” covering the sides of their mouths, which would have helped prevent food from spilling out. However, in the late 1990s, paleontologists Michael Papp and Larry Witmer challenged this notion. They proposed that Leptoceratops and its relatives might not have had cheeks at all. Instead, the horny coverings over their beaks might have been sufficient to contain food. Nevertheless, the majority of experts still favor the traditional view.
3. It’s Primarily Known as a Canadian Dinosaur.
While a few fossils have been found in Wyoming, Alberta is the site where the first Leptoceratops remains were discovered. The majority of additional specimens have also been unearthed in this province. Two of these are currently exhibited at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa.
4. Leptoceratops' Hands Faced Inward.
According to a 2007 study, Leptoceratops typically held its hands in a “clapping” position. This sets it apart from more evolved ceratopsians, whose palms faced downward. Additionally, researchers believe that Leptoceratops could move on two legs or all fours, at least for short distances.
5. It May Have Inhabited Hills or Mountains.
To explain the rarity of Leptoceratops fossils compared to Triceratops, renowned fossil collector Charles M. Sternberg proposed in 1947 that the two species lived at different elevations. He speculated that the smaller, more primitive ceratopsians, like Leptoceratops, might have dwelled in upland areas, making their preservation less likely. If Sternberg’s theory holds, Leptoceratops could have led a mountain goat–like lifestyle, while the larger Triceratops roamed the lowland floodplains.
6. Its Initial Discovery Occurred on a Cattle Path...
In 1910, renowned paleontologist Barnum Brown identified two skeletons of a creature he later named “Leptoceratops gracilis” in 1914. Sadly, the fossils were found under a cow trail, and the animals had damaged the exposed bones.
7. … Just Before a Surge in Horned Dinosaur Discoveries.
The 1910s were a golden era for ceratopsian enthusiasts. Between 1913 and 1914, North American researchers introduced Leptoceratops, Anchiceratops, Chasmosaurus, and Styracosaurus. Among these, Styracosaurus has since become a popular figure in films.
8. Leptoceratops Featured a Tail Resembling a Leaf.
Jaime A. Headden, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 3.0
From a side view, its tail would have appeared tall and compressed laterally, thanks to elongated spines on some of its vertebrae.
9. The Leptoceratops Genus Once Had a Species Reclassified.
In 1942, Barnum Brown and Erich Schlaikjer identified a 72-million-year-old dinosaur they named Leptoceratops cereorhynchos. Later, Sternberg concluded that this species warranted its own genus and renamed it Montanoceratops cereorhynchos, honoring the state where it was discovered.
10. Leptoceratops May Hold Clues to an Australian Puzzle.
Australia is celebrated for its diverse and uniquely peculiar wildlife. However, despite its rich modern biodiversity, dinosaur fossils are exceptionally rare in the region. Only a handful of native species have been discovered. In 2003, a new species was identified based on a solitary ulna (upper arm bone). Paleontologists Patricia and Thomas Rich observed that the bone bore a striking resemblance to Leptoceratops, leading them to classify it as a ceratopsian and name it Serendipaceratops.
If Serendipaceratops truly belongs to the same group as Leptoceratops and Triceratops, it could challenge existing theories about horned dinosaur evolution. (Notably, no other ceratopsians have been found in Australia.) However, the matter remains unresolved. In 2010, a global research team contended that Serendipaceratops is too poorly documented to draw definitive conclusions.
