Protoceratops Dinosaur Skull Replica

$424.00

The skull consisted of a massive frontal beak, and four pairs of fenestrae (skull openings). The foremost hole, the naris, was considerably smaller than the nostrils seen in later genera.

Description

Protoceratops Dinosaur Skull Replica measures 17 inches. Protoceratops Dinosaur Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in USA. Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home décor skull, or office décor skull. Protoceratops andrewsi is the scientific name.

Protoceratops meaning “first horned face” is a genus of sheep-sized (1.8 m long) herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur, from the Upper Cretaceous Period (Campanian stage) of what is now Mongolia.

It was a member of the Protoceratopsidae, a group of early horned dinosaurs. Unlike later ceratopsians, however, it was a much smaller creature that lacked well-developed horns and retained some basal traits not seen in later genera.

Protoceratops andrewsi had a large neck frill which was likely used as a display site to impress other members of the species. Other hypotheses about its function include protection of the neck and anchoring of jaw muscles, but the fragility of the frill and the poor leverage offered by possible attachment sites here makes these ideas implausible.

Protoceratops andrewsi was a quadrupedal dinosaur that was partially characterized by its distinctive neck frill at the back of its skull. The frill itself contained two large parietal fenestrae, while its cheeks had large jugal bones.

The exact size and shape of the neck frill varied by individual; some specimens had short, compact frills, while others had frills nearly half the length of the skull. The frill consists mostly of the parietal bone and partially of the squamosal.

Protoceratops andrewsi was a relatively small dinosaur with a proportionately large skull. Protoceratops andrewsi appears to have had muscular jaws capable of a powerful bite. These jaws were packed with dozens of teeth, well suited for chewing tough vegetation.

The skull consisted of a massive frontal beak, and four pairs of fenestrae (skull openings). The foremost hole, the naris, was considerably smaller than the nostrils seen in later genera. Protoceratops had large orbits (the holes for its eyes), which measured around 50 millimeters in diameter.

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Additional information

Weight 12 lbs
Dimensions 17 in
Protoceratops Facts

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Order: †Ornithischia
Infraorder: †Neoceratopsia
Parvorder: †Coronosauria
Family: †Protoceratopsidae
Genus: †Protoceratops
Granger & Gregory, 1923
Type species: †Protoceratops andrewsi