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Horned Dinosaurs
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Among the last dinosaurs to appear were the horned dinosaurs. These evolved from the two-footed plant eaters at the end of the Cretaceous period. Unlike other dinosaurs, they had thick, heavy skulls that were covered in armour and had up to three horns pointing forward. They used these horns to defend themselves and their herds against the great meat eaters, like Tyrannosaurus. When their fossils were first found, in Colorado, people thought they were from extinct giant bison.
(A) THE BIGGEST
The biggest horned dinosaur was Triceratops, which was 8.8 metres long and weighed 5 tons. It roamed the forests in herds.
(B) THE SMALLEST
Tiny Leptoceratops was only about the size of a turkey, but it lived at the same time as the giant Triceratops.
(C) HORNS
The huge horns and bony neck frill of Triceratops probably allowed it to fight off fierce predators such as Tyrannosaurus. They may have also used them during fights between rivals.
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Previous:
Back
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Book:
Prehistoric Life
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Section:
Prehistoric
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Chapter:
Horned Dinosaurs
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