Among the most distinctive of all dinosaurs, ceratopsians (Greek for "horned faces") are also the most easily identified--even an eight-year-old can tell, just by looking, that Triceratops was closely related to Pentaceratops, and that both were close cousins to Chasmosaurus and Styracosaurus. However, the ceratopsian family has its own subtleties, and includes some species you might not have expected.
Although the usual exceptions and qualifications apply, especially among early members of the breed, paleontologists broadly define ceratopsians as herbivorous, four-legged, elephant-like dinosaurs whose enormous heads sported elaborate horns and frills. The famous ceratopsians listed above lived exclusively in North America during the late Cretaceous period; in fact, ceratopsians may be the most "All-American" of all the dinosaurs, though some species did hail from Eurasia.
Triceratops
"three-horned face"
The three-horned dinosaur Triceratops--which is familiar to millions of kids in plastic toy form--has the dubious distinction of being one of the last of its breed, the ceratopsians, to appear before the Extinction Event that wiped the dinosaurs off the face of the earth.
As fearsome as it looked, Triceratops was a strict vegetarian. Scientists think thgis dinosaur's distinctive horns may have evolved for two reasons: either for use as mating displays (i.e., Triceratops males with bigger, sharper horns were able to mate with more females), and/or as a form of defense against the larger predators of the late Cretaceous period, like Tyrannosaurus Rex. A recent study has shown that many of the contusions on fossilized Triceratops bones were caused by Triceratops horns, which implies a role for intra-species combat as well (i.e., the horns were used to defend territory or establish dominance within the herd).
Styracosaurus
"spiked lizard"
You might be excused for thinking Styracosaurus was all head: this dinosaur's broad, flat face extended upward into a massive frill, which was itself topped by no less than six dangerous-looking spikes. As if all that weren't enough, the three-ton Styracosaurus also had a two-foot-long horn extending from its snout, two smaller horns jutting out from its cheeks, and (for some obscure reason, most likely related to its sense of smell) unusually large nostrils.
Why would nature have allowed this otherwise gentle ceratopsian to evolve such an elaborate (and fearsome) cranial display? There are three possible explanations. First, it may have been a sexual adaptation (that is, male Styracosaurus adults with bigger frills and sharper spikes had a better chance of mating with females); and second, the ornamentation may have evolved as a means of defense, either to actively gore hungry raptors and tyrannosaurs or make Styracosaurus look larger and more threatening, and hence a less appetizing meal.
There's also an intriguing third possibility. The enormous frill of Styracosaurus may have helped to dissipate heat from its body, much like the floppy ears of an African elephant. If true, this would lend support to the theory that dinosaurs had warm-blooded metabolisms and needed to occasionally shed excess heat.
Thank you to Diane Wolgamuth, Director of Administration, for support in placing these caches.
In Mayfield Village, the Greenway Corridor will provide a safe walking and biking route from Center School on Wilson Mills Road to Parkview Pool, playgrounds, baseball and soccer fields, the Cuyahoga County Library’s new Mayfield Branch, and ultimately the North Chagrin Reservation of the Metroparks. More info: https://www.mayfieldvillage.com/recreation/greenway-trail.