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Liaoceratops

Dinosaur profile

Liaoceratops

HerbivoreEarly CretaceousCeratopsian

Pronunciation

Le-ow-seh-rah-tops

Meaning

Liaoning horned face

Type

Ceratopsian

Length

0.9 Meters long

Period

Early Cretaceous

Years

127-121 million years ago

Location

China

Diet

Herbivore

About Liaoceratops

Liaoceratops is a small ceratopsid dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, around 85 million years ago. It is known from a single specimen found in the Liaoning Province of China, which consists of a partial skull and some vertebrae. The skull of Liaoceratops was short and wide, with a large parietal shield on the back of the head. It had a large, triangular horn above its eyes, as well as smaller horns on the nose and cheek regions. Liaoceratops was likely a herbivore, and may have used its horns and strong jaw muscles to defend itself against predators or to fight with other members of its own species. Despite its small size, Liaoceratops was an important member of the ceratopsid family, which includes some of the most well-known and iconic dinosaurs, such as Triceratops and Styracosaurus.

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