2 Triceratops species coloring page

There are two Triceratops species and today's post will tell you about them.

2 Triceratops species

New research has come out that sheds new light on the two known Triceratops species.  The more well-known species, Triceratops horridus, had a shorter nose horn.  It also lived a 1-2 million years earlier than Triceratops prorsus.  The rock strata doesn't lie.  Triceratops horridus fossilized bones (and horns) are found in deeper and therefore older strata.  This older species of Triceratops had a larger or longer beak.

Rock strata that is higher up or more shallow is 1-2 million years younger.  It is full of the Triceratops prorsus fossils.  Triceratops prosus had a much larger nose horn.  The Triceratops prosus skulls appear to be generally a bit more robust and also a bit bigger.  This younger species of Triceratops had a smaller or shorter beak. 

It appears that Triceratops prorsus evolved over those one or two million years from Triceratops horridus.  The fossil record shows that the strata between these two species of Triceratops has transitional forms with medium-sized horns.  Basically, the horns gradually evolved to be longer. 

Triceratops fossils are not uncommon and have been found throughout the rock strata of the Hell Creek Formation of Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming.  I learned about all this tonight while watching a recording of a PBS show called Paleontology Road Trip.  It was a very good show.  I then looked up the facts on the internet.  

I learned that a team from Montana State University made this discovery.  They used many many individual fossilized Triceratops in their study.  It is very convincing.  

NOTE:  This drawing, in printable form, can be found by clicking on the top button labeled "Paleontology."  Then scroll down because the newest drawings are at the bottom of the list of titles.