Bagaceratops
Bagaceratops rozhdestvenskyi
Pronounced: Bag -
ah - Sair - uh - tops
Diet: Herbivore
(Plant-Eater)
Name Means:
"small horned face"
Length: 3 feet (1
m)
Height: 1.5 feet
(.5 m)
Weight: 50 pounds
(22 kilos)
Time: Late
Cretaceous - 80 mya
Fossil remains for this Dinosaur have been found in Asia
Bagaceratops was a very small
member of the ceratopsian (horn
faced) family of dinosaurs. It
looked very much like its
better-known relative, Protoceratops
, except for the head. Unlike its
cousin, Bagaceratops's head was
shaped almost like a perfect
triangle and it had a very small
frill.
This basal member of the ceratopsian family had
no brow horns, but it did have a well-developed beak
with cheek teeth that were perfectly suited for
grinding coarse plants. Scientists have collected
five complete skulls and almost 20 partial skulls,
as well as many skeletal bones. These fossils
represent different stages of growth, so scientists
have a fairly complete understanding of
Bagaceratops's life cycle.
An interesting fact is that, although
Bagaceratops came along millions of years later than
Protoceratops Bagaceratops is considered a
more primitive creature. |
