FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The Mercuriceratops gemini, the 'Roman God Mercury Horned Face,' was discovered in 2011 by paleontologists who found fossils from this creature along with those of many other horned dinosaurs. This herbivore is considered to be closely related to the Triceratops and lived during the late Cretaceous period about 72-66 million years ago. It belongs to a group known as Ceratopsoidea which includes all descendants of their common ancestor's first appearance on Earth more than 77 million years ago! A new species of dinosaur was found in north-central Montana: the Mercuriceratops. The Mercuriceratops gemini belongs to a group called "ceratopids," whose members can be distinguished by their horns over each eye and a nose-like ornament on top of the snout - features not seen before from this time period or region. When the Mercuriceratops was first discovered, people thought it may have been a new species of the Triceratops. Paleontologists found that to be false as they were able to distinguish many differences between these two specimens. The most notable difference is its unique horns and a butterfly-shaped frill and protrusions which are completely different from other ceratopsians out there today! The Mercuriceratops gemini is an impressive specimen because researchers believe only one elaborate skull ornamentation has ever been unearthed by scientists around the world. It can take years for experts like this to find even a partial Mercuriceratops skeleton since bones tend not to last very long on Earth!
Find more exciting content about the Staurikosaurus and the Dacentrurus for kids!
The name of this horned dinosaur is interesting. Its pronunciation, however, which is (mer-cue-rih sair' ahtops), can be tricky for those who are not familiar with it.
A herbivorous chasmosaurine ceratopsid horned dinosaur, like a Mercuriceratops, was an extremely unique species of the late Cretaceous period.
During the late Cretaceous period, in between 66 and 100 million years ago, a small horned dinosaur called the Mercuriceratops roamed the Earth.
It is not known exactly when this species of plant-eating dinosaur became extinct, but it may have been as recently as 26 million years ago.
The Mercuriceratops was a herbivorous horned dinosaur that lived in what is now North America.
A plant-eating dinosaur, the Mercuriceratops lived in the northern region of western North America. It probably had a home that included lakes, rivers, and floodplains with some forests around them.
The answer to this question is still relatively unknown. However, it’s believed that the horned dinosaur Mercuriceratops lived with a Nemegtosaurus and possibly other dinosaurs as well.
The ancient animal known as a Mercuriceratops lived for about 20 years.
Paleontologists who discovered the previously unknown species, Mercuriceratops, couldn't figure out how they reproduced. All they could confirm is that they laid eggs.
The Mercuriceratops had a large horn over its nose and two horns placed on the neck giving it an elaborate skull ornamentation. This animal could grow to be about 20 ft (6.1 m) long, including a neck and tail that were twice as long as those of other ceratopsians. It weighed up to 1,100 lb (499 kg). The herbivore's tiny arms were each less than 3 ft (0.9 m) long. These short arms were not useful for self-defense or for grabbing food from trees so these dinosaurs would need another way of protection such as camouflage or armor plating as a shield. The Mercuriceratops humerus was long and strong!
The Mercuriceratops had 200 bones. Its maxilla and jugal (which make up part of its beak) were placed above the neck. It was a herbivore that lived in what is today North America during the late Cretaceous period about 75 million years ago.
The Mercuriceratops communicated with each other by using short growls and roars.
The Mercuriceratops size was moderate and could almost be considered big with an average height of around 16 ft (4.9 m) and a length of about 31 in (78.7 cm).
A Mercuriceratops could move at speeds of up to 30-35 mph (48.3-56.3 kph), according to a study by Andrew Farke and James I. Kirkland in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology!
These dinosaurs weighed around 1,100 lb (499 kg) on average, which is pretty similar compared to many other dinosaurs of the time.
Both males and females do not have any specific scientific terms attached to them. Both go by the name Mercuriceratops.
A baby Mercuriceratops does not have any specific name and hence is popularly just known as a Mercuriceratops baby. It would be interesting to pet Mercuriceratops babies if they were alive today because these tiny prehistoric animals were small and adorable.
These dinosaurs had a herbivorous diet. Their diet range included plants, shrubs, herbs, grass, and trees.
Mercuriceratops were slightly aggressive, demonstrating slight signs of aggression when confronted with other members of their species. This proved to be a good strategy to shield and protect themselves as it allowed them to avoid unnecessary conflicts and therefore ensure the survival of the population.
This dinosaur was named Mercuriceratops because of the amalgamated nature of its head. Its frill and nasal bones combined to form a shield-like structure that looks similar to Mercury, while its horns jut out from both sides which resemble ceratopsian dinosaurs such as the Triceratops or the Chasmosaurus.
The Mercuriceratops is a new type of horned dinosaur with horns on its butterfly-shaped frill and protrusions. The name 'Mercuriceratops' means 'Horned Face from Roman God Mercury.' The full name of this dinosaur is Mercuriceratops gemini. It was named after the Roman god Mercury, who had feet-like wings on its head. The Mercuriceratops also had horns that looked similar to those found in ceratopsian dinosaurs such as the Triceratops, among many other features unique only to this dinosaur. This animal lived around 70 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.
Fossilized remains from 77 million years ago of the Mercuriceratops were found in north-central Montana. It lived during the late Cretaceous period.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other creatures from our Atrociraptor facts or Pawpawsaurus facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Mercuriceratops coloring pages.
First image by Nobu Tamura
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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