Triceratops (try-SAIR-uh-tops) by Mae Bing
Triceratops means "three horned face.”
A Triceratops is a dinosaur that looks like a rhinoceros, because they both had facial horns, thick skin, and four strong, sturdy legs. This dinosaur was known for the three horns found on its face: the smaller horn was just above his parrot-like beak, and the other two horns were longer, over three feet in length. The longer horns were located above its eyes and were used as protection from predators. When threatened by its enemies they may have attacked by charging like the rhinoceros of today (Enchanted Learning, 2001-2010). The triceratops skull is very large, it is a little over ten feet in length; and it is the largest skull discovered among land animals. One Triceratops skull weighed a little more than 3.3 tons (KBP, 2009). That's as much as a Hippo! The head is almost a third of the length of their body. These animal’s tails were great for balancing the weight of their large sized head (KBP, 2009). The Triceratops roamed the land approximately 72 to 65 million years ago, which was almost at the end of the Mesozoic Era. “The Triceratops lived during the Late Cretaceous.” (Enchanted Learning, 2001-2010). They were herbivores. The Triceratops diet consisted of the wooded growth of trees, which includes plants (KBP, 2009). Triceratops were also a yummy meal for the T-Rex because they were slow moving animals. “The fossils were discovered in the western parts of the U.S. and Canada” (Enchanted Learning, 2001-2010).
A Triceratops is a dinosaur that looks like a rhinoceros, because they both had facial horns, thick skin, and four strong, sturdy legs. This dinosaur was known for the three horns found on its face: the smaller horn was just above his parrot-like beak, and the other two horns were longer, over three feet in length. The longer horns were located above its eyes and were used as protection from predators. When threatened by its enemies they may have attacked by charging like the rhinoceros of today (Enchanted Learning, 2001-2010). The triceratops skull is very large, it is a little over ten feet in length; and it is the largest skull discovered among land animals. One Triceratops skull weighed a little more than 3.3 tons (KBP, 2009). That's as much as a Hippo! The head is almost a third of the length of their body. These animal’s tails were great for balancing the weight of their large sized head (KBP, 2009). The Triceratops roamed the land approximately 72 to 65 million years ago, which was almost at the end of the Mesozoic Era. “The Triceratops lived during the Late Cretaceous.” (Enchanted Learning, 2001-2010). They were herbivores. The Triceratops diet consisted of the wooded growth of trees, which includes plants (KBP, 2009). Triceratops were also a yummy meal for the T-Rex because they were slow moving animals. “The fossils were discovered in the western parts of the U.S. and Canada” (Enchanted Learning, 2001-2010).
Here are links to Triceratops coloring pages.
FUN FACT: The Triceratops is the state dinosaur of Wyoming (sciencekids).
References
Jeananda, Col. (2001-2010). Triceratops Fact Sheet. Retrieved April 25, 2011 from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinos/Triceratops.shtml
Knowledge Based Publishing/Kids Dig Dinos (2009). Triceratops Facts – Dinosaurs for Kids at Kids Dig Dinos. Retrieved
April 25, 2011 from www.Kidsdigdinos.com/Dinosaurs/triceratops.htm
Science Kids. Dinosaur Facts: Triceratops Facts for Kids. Retrieved April 30, 2011 from
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/dinosaurs/triceratops.html
Jeananda, Col. (2001-2010). Triceratops Fact Sheet. Retrieved April 25, 2011 from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinos/Triceratops.shtml
Knowledge Based Publishing/Kids Dig Dinos (2009). Triceratops Facts – Dinosaurs for Kids at Kids Dig Dinos. Retrieved
April 25, 2011 from www.Kidsdigdinos.com/Dinosaurs/triceratops.htm
Science Kids. Dinosaur Facts: Triceratops Facts for Kids. Retrieved April 30, 2011 from
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/dinosaurs/triceratops.html
