Fast Facts for Kids
Triceratops Facts for Kids

Triceratops Facts for Kids

  • Common Name: Triceratops
  • Dinosaur Type: Ceratopsid
  • Type Species: Triceratops horridus
  • Total Species: 3
  • Diet: Herbivorous (Ate Vegetation)
  • Period: Late Cretaceous Period
  • Description: A Large Sauropod Herbivore

22 Triceratops Facts For Kids

  1. The Triceratops was a dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period.
  2. Triceratops was a large armored quadrupedal ceratopsian.
  3. The Triceratops was herbivorous and ate plant matter (foliage, plants, vegetation, etc.)
  4. You pronounce the name Triceratops by saying: “tri-SERRA-tops”.
  5. The meaning of the dinosaur name Triceratops is “three-horned face”.
  6. There are three species of Triceratops recognized by paleontologists.
  7. The type species for the Triceratops is Triceratops horridus.
  8. The other two species of Triceratops are Triceratops horridus and Triceratops prorsus.
  9. George Lyman Cannon was the first person to discover a Triceratops specimen in 1887.
  10. American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh was the first person to scientifically described the Triceratops in 1889.
  11. The holotype specimen for Triceratops is YPM 1820.
  12. The Triceratops was estimated to have an average body length between 26 and 30 feet.
  13. The Triceratops was estimated to have an average skull length of 6.5 feet.
  14. The Triceratops was estimated to have an average body weight between 5.5 and 10 tons.
  15. The lifespan of the Triceratops is estimated to have been up to 70 years.
  16. The running speed of the Triceratops is estimated to have been between 15 and 20 miles per hour.
  17. The Triceratops is one of the most popular and recognizable dinosaurs worldwide.
  18. The Triceratops can be identified by its rhinoceros-like body, large bony frill, and its three long horns.
  19. The three long horns on a Triceratops were used in courtship displays and as defense against predators or rival males.
  20. The Triceratops lived during the same time as the Tyrannosaurus rex and had epic predator-prey battles together.
  21. The official U.S. state fossil of South Dakota is the Triceratops (Triceratops horridus).
  22. The official U.S. state dinosaur of Wyoming is the Triceratops (Triceratops horridus).

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Triceratops Pictures

There is a saying that claims a picture is worth a thousand words. If that is true then the below images will help you with your research on the Triceratops. The below you will find three pictures related to the Triceratops dinosaur. These pictures should give you a bettering understanding of the Triceratops and what it may have looked like.

A Triceratops In A Swamp

A picture of a Triceratops in a swamp.

Triceratops In A Forest

A picture of a Triceratops in a forest.

Triceratops On A Beach

A picture of a Triceratops on a beach.

Triceratops Resources

We hope the above Triceratops facts, information, data, and images were helpful in your research. You can continue your research on the Triceratops using one of the below websites. We picked the below websites for the credibility, you can trust their information and data when it comes to the Triceratops.