Making Bluprints On The Computer

Protoceratops (first horned face)

The remains of Protoceratops were discovered in the Gobi Desert by an expedition Natural History Museum in New York in the 1920's. It is one of the earliest known members of the group that includes the horned dinosaurs such as Triceratops . name Protoceratops is actually misleading because his skull is not true horns are mere bone buttons on the tip of the nose and cheeks. But the coat collar bone and beak of a parrot-like indicate that belonged to the same group as the other horned dinosaurs.

The Protoceratops is more primitive than other horned dinosaurs much larger. His body was shaped like a barrel, and probably appearance was somewhat similar to a big pig. However, unlike the pig, the body was bent at the hips. Because of this, it seems that the long, wide tail Protoceratops hung behind the body. The hind limbs were strong and straight, with large feet. Some scientists believe that the forelimbs were open sideways, like those of modern reptiles. This would give the Protoceratops look scrunched. But most scientists believe actualemnte front legs were just below the body, like the post. This provision would allow him to keep his head well above the ground.
Scientists have found skeletons of young Protoceratops, youth and adults, enabling them to discover some details of its growth. As Protoceratops grew, the face was making them wider and shorter, wider mouth and neck bone ornaments larger.


How did they live?
Wide rib cage housed a large stomach capable of digesting large amounts of plant food. Because of its great similarity to actual pigs, some scientists have suggested that Protoceratops could have lived a bit like them, rooting and digging in the ground for roots, tubers and other plant nutrients. Could have behaved well, but his impressive set of teeth and chewing-like beak of a parrot indicate that probably could chew food much harder than the actual pigs.


In defense of the young
The powerful, strong and solid peak Protoceratops made him a formidable advocate for their eggs and hatchlings. In a very interesting fossil is the remains of a Protoceratops Velociraptor and tangled together. It seems that these two dinosaurs died in combat when they were surprised by a storm Sandy.
In Mongolia, have unearthed many eggs and nests that are believed belonged to Protoceratops, but is now known that these nests actually belong to Oviraptor .


SHEET
Gender: Protoceratops
Rating: Marginocephalia; ceratopsian; Protoceratopsidae
Length: 2.4 m
Height: 1 m
Weight: 177 kg
Period: Late Cretaceous , about 80-73 million years
Found: Mongolia and China