So You Think You Know About Triceratops? by Ben Garrod

Author:Ben Garrod [Garrod, Ben]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: So You Think You Know About... Dinosaurs?
ISBN: 9781786697875
Publisher: Zephyr

THE SKELETON

The two species of Triceratops were large quadrupedal (four-legged) dinosaurs, about the size of a very big elephant (but a bit longer). They had interesting skeleton adaptations that helped them become some of the most successful herbivorous dinosaurs.

1. Triceratops had a sturdy build and low centre of gravity.

Many people assume horned dinosaurs used their crests and horns to defend themselves from predators, but when scientists looked at the evidence, it wasn't quite right. Many species had crests that were either weak or had holes in them and their horns were close to their face, meaning that if they were for defending themselves from predators, it would almost have probably been too late by the time a hungry theropod was almost on top of them.

2. Elbows would have been slightly angled outwards and bent.

Even though it’s pretty obvious that Triceratops was a quadruped, for a long time there was disagreement about exactly how it walked. It was originally thought that the front legs came out at an angle from the body (like a lizard’s legs) and that they sprawled to support the very heavy head. Nowadays, better reconstructions of the skeletons show they were more upright. The elbows would have been slightly angled outwards and bent, similar to the skeleton of a rhinoceros.

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