Triceratops

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Triceratops
Front Back
Monsters of the Past
Previous	Megalodon
Next	Diplocaulus
Card	11
Creature Features
Species	Triceratops horridus
Size	Length up to 30 ft; weight up to 19,000 lbs.
Where?	Forests in western United States and Canada
Food	Foliage and bark on trees
Body parts	Armor-plated, frilled head with three horns and a sharp beak
Did You Know?
Triceratops was among the last dinosaurs to live on Earth. It became extinct 65 million years ago.

With its massive three-horned head, triceratops was a heavyweight among dinosaurs. Few predators would dare attack this powerful animal for fear of its long, sharp, deadly horns.

Leg Strong: To support its massive body, triceratops had powerful legs, similar to an elephant's. The dinosaur weighed about as much as two school buses.

Triple Threat: The three horns of triceratops were made of keratin, the same substance from which our fingernails are made. The horns above the eyes were the longest, reaching a length of about three feet.

Mr. Big Head

Triceratops grazed on plants in prehistoric forests.

Triceratops had a huge head, the equal in weight to a small car. Its skull not only supported its three horns but also a bony frill that acted as a hard-hat to protect the animal. Though it looked fierce with its horns and helmet, triceratops fed on plants, such as shrubs and trees.

Bird Beak: The front of triceratops' jaws formed a beak similar to a parrot's. It used the sharp edges of the beak for cutting through vegetation.

Tail Heavy: The tail of triceratops weighed about as much as its head. The dinosaur needed the weight at its rear end to stay balanced and not fall forward on its face.

Three Cousins

1. There were several types of horned-faced dinosaurs. One was Centrosaurus. It had a single horn, similar to the modern day rhinoceros.
2. Pachyrhinosaurus had more of a hard pad on its nose and probably used it to push and shove during fights with other dinosaurs.
3. Styracosaurus was the family member with the most horns. It had six horns around its frill, plus a long horn near its snout.

Trading Card

Triceratops Triceratops was large and slow, but had great defenses. Any predator trying to attack found itself gored on three horns. Say What? Triceratops fossils are the most commonly found dino bones. Powers +2 attack points against Monsters of the Past Stats Life 130 Attack 4 Defense 8

Trivia

• The triceratops is mentioned on several other cards:
  • It is mentioned on the knowledge cards of its relative, the Styracosaurus, and its ancestors, the Psittacosaurus and Protoceratops.
  • The Coelurosauravus knowledge card uses it as a comparison for the small reptile's unique head shape.
• The triceratops is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
  • It is first featured in Fossil Finders on Monster Mania 7.
  • It is then featured in Monster Maze on Monster Mania 12.
  • It is later featured in Holy Horns! on Monster Mania 55.
• The phrase “Three Cousins” used in the subheading on the back comes from discussion of World War I, referring to King George V, Tsar Nicholas II, and Kaiser Wilhelm II. All three cousins were leaders of prominent countries during the war, hence the term.
• Triceratops shares the subheading "Triple Threat" with the Aquatic Leech and Nile Monitor.
• While the card states the former theory that the neck frill was a form of armor, it is now believed that ceratopsians used their frills for display.