Fun Nedoceratops Facts For Kids

The Nedoceratops hatcheri dinosaur of the Late Cretaceous period (67-65 million years ago) is known from a nearly complete skull fossil that was recovered from Wyoming, USA. Its name, meaning 'insufficient horned face' was a way to indicate the lack of nasal horn in its skull.

While this dinosaur is related to Triceratops, paleontologists like Scannella and Horner believe this dinosaur was not a distinct genus, but a variation of Triceratops, and its fossil represents a growth stage between Triceratops and Torosaurus. This hypothesis was first thought of by Richard Swan Lull, who named this dinosaur Diceratops. The specific name 'hatcheri', which was conserved, was given after John Hatcher, who contributed to the description of this unusual dinosaur. Belonging to the Late Cretaceous, this dinosaur of the Ornithischia order inhabited a subtropical climate in the Lance Formation. It was herbivorous in nature and reproduced by laying eggs. Its length is estimated to have been around 30 ft (9 m), while it weighed between 4000-6000 lb (1814.3-2721.5 kg).

To learn more about Nedoceratops, keep reading! You can also check out Sauropelta and Incisivosaurus.

How do you pronounce 'Nedoceratops'?

The name 'Nedoceratops' meaning 'insufficient horned face' is pronounced as 'Nee-doh-seh-rah-tops'.

What type of dinosaur was a Nedoceratops?

This horned dinosaur was a ceratopsid dinosaur of the class Reptilia, clade Dinosauria, and order Ornithischia. Its distinct genus and taxonomic position are of great debate. The name 'Diceratops' was originally given to this dinosaur, before being changed by Andrey Sergeevich Ukrainsky.

In which geological period did the Nedoceratops roam the earth?

Nedoceratops roamed the Earth 65-67 million years ago, during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period. The well-known Tyrannosaurus rex also existed during this time period.

When did the Nedoceratops become extinct?

Nedoceratops became extinct at the end of the Late Cretaceous period, following the K-T extinction event.

Where did a Nedoceratops live?

A single skull fossil of this dinosaur was discovered from the Lance Formation of Wyoming, USA, in North America. So, it can be said that these dinosaurs inhabited North America.

What was a Nedoceratops' habitat?

The Lance Formation of Wyoming was a coastal plain characterized by the presence of streams and a subtropical climate. A lack of winter and a sufficient amount of rainfall resulted in the diversity of the local flora. Plants like conifers and ferns were part of the habitat and aided in the sustainability of this 'insufficient horned face' dinosaur.

Who did a Nedoceratops live with?

The single Nedoceratops skull does not provide enough information about the social structure of this dinosaur. However, paleontologists have found Triceratops specimens that portrayed the herd behavior of those dinosaurs. Recently three aggregated fossilized skeletons of Triceratops juveniles were excavated. This suggests that the young dinosaurs of this species may have lived together. So, it is possible that young Nedoceratops lived in groups, as well.

How long did a Nedoceratops live?

Since most ceratopsid dinosaurs, including Nedoceratops, are compared to modern-day rhinos and elephants, it is likely that their life span may have been similar. So, their life expectancy may have been around 50-70 years.

How did they reproduce?

The reproductive features of this animal are yet to be fully understood. It is known that the female Nedoceratops was oviparous in nature and reproduced by laying eggs. The eggs were probably laid in small clutches in a nest. The female may have been responsible for protecting the nest from predators.

What did a Nedoceratops look like?

The appearance of Nedoceratops or Diceratops was certainly quite unique and made the dinosaur stand out. However, a detailed description of the complete physical attributes of this ceratopsid dinosaur has not yet been published due to the lack of complete fossil remains.

The skull of Nedoceratops displayed a few distinguishing characters. The horns located on the brow region of Nedoceratops were almost vertical in appearance. Additionally, the parietal portion of the frill surrounding the face had one small opening, along with two asymmetrical holes in the wing-like squamosal border of the frills. These characteristic features are unlike that of Triceratops, who had a complete frill. However, some of these holes were probably caused by some form of disease or injury, while others were a part of normal bone growth. The most unusual feature of this dinosaur was certainly the lack of a nasal horn, which led to its nomenclature and is a part of an ongoing debate regarding the status of this genus.

The rest of the body of Nodoceratops has been estimated to resemble that of Triceratops. It had a parrot-beak-like snout and walked on its four limbs. The limbs were not very long. Triceratops specimens have suggested that the dinosaur had a robust build with strong limbs, with three hooves in the forelimbs and four hooves in the hindlimbs. So, it is certainly possible that being related to Triceratops, Nodoceratops may have shown similar physical features.

How many bones did a Nedoceratops have?

The information regarding the total number of bones in the body of a Nedoceratops has not yet been established. This is because the only specimen of this dinosaur to be recovered was its skull. However, fortunately, the single skull which was discovered was nearly complete, and thus, researchers have been able to recreate the facial characteristics of this dinosaur from the preserved evidence. Additionally, the estimated number of bones possessed by the related Triceratops is 985. So, Nedoceratops may have had a similar skeletal makeup.

How did they communicate?

There is a lack of data to confirm the exact methods of communication used by members of the Nedoceratops genus. However, scientists have hypothesized that members of the Ceratopsidae family may have used their horns and frill to communicate with each other. These communications include mating displays, territorial displays, or even warning signals.

How big was a Nedoceratops?

The proposed length of an adult Nedoceratops is 30 ft (9 m). This size is the same as that of a Triceratops. However, the size of Nedoceratops is nowhere close to that of another ceratopsian named Ceratopsipes goldenensis, known only from its footprints. The estimated length of this dinosaur is 39.3 ft (12 m), making it the largest Ceratopsian.

How fast could a Nedoceratops move?

The exact speed of Nedoceratops is not known. However, they were probably not very fast as they had short legs and comparatively much bigger bodies. The estimated speed of a Triceratops is around 15.1 mph (24.3 kph). A similar form of speed can be assumed in the Nedoceratops dinosaur.

How much did a Nedoceratops weigh?

The estimated Nedoceratops weight dinosaur is between 4000-6000 lb (1814.3-2721.5 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names assigned to the adult male and female dinosaurs of this genus and species.

What would you call a baby Nedoceratops?

A baby Nedoceratops is known as a hatchling.

What did they eat?

The Nedoceratops dinosaurs were herbivorous in nature. Their diet possibly consisted of ferns and conifers, which made up the local flora. The beak of these dinosaurs probably helped them in removing the leaves from the stems. Even though a well-preserved teeth specimen of Nedoceratops is yet to be discovered, the dental morphology of Triceratops is well-known. The teeth had five layers, which resulted in a strong dentition. Given the taxonomic closeness of Triceratops and Nedoceratops, it can be assumed that the latter showed a similar dental structure.

How aggressive were they?

There is significant evidence to believe that the members of the Ceratopsidae family did fight amongst one another using their horns. A particular example of this behavior has been observed from Triceratops remains, which bore proof of injuries caused by horns of another Triceratops. So, it is highly likely that Nedoceratops dinosaurs may have fought amongst themselves, as well.

Did you know...

A synonym for Nedoceratops is Diceratus, which was given by the paleontologist Octavio Mateus in 2008.

Who discovered the Nedoceratops and what was the controversy surrounding it?

The discovery of the skull of Nedoceratops took place in 1891. This discovery was made by O.C. Marsh, who unfortunately died before he could complete his paper describing this newly discovered species. Following this, the paleontologist John Bell Hatcher set out to complete the description of this dinosaur, but he faced an early demise due to typhus. Ultimately, the paper was completed by Richard Swan Lull in the year 1905. It was Lull who named this dinosaur as Diceratops hatcheri. In 2007, the name Diceratops hatcheri was changed to Nedoceratops hatcheri by Andrey Sergeevich Ukrainsky, as Diceratops was already the genus name of an insect.

In the world of paleontology, there is significant controversy regarding the classification of Nedoceratops as a distinct taxon. While a lot of researchers believe that the status of Nedoceratops is valid, many others in the field consider its proposed position to be dubious. This first started with Lull himself, who placed Nedoceratops as a subgenus of Triceratops. Even now, this animal is considered to represent an intermediate form of growth in between Triceratops and Torosaurus, instead of a separate valid genus. The hypothesis laid out by the paleontologists John B. Scannella and John R. Horner point at the existence of the circular holes called parietal fenestrae in the Nedoceratops, which indicate the gradual thinning out of the frill of the animal. This coincides with the position of openings in the frill of the Torosaurus or Toroceratops, which is considered to be the most mature form of Triceratops. Additionally, Scannella and Horner also suggested the lack of a nasal horn in the Nedoceratops skull could be due to the horn being lost during the life or after the death of the dinosaur.

In 2012, the researcher Farke suggested the bone texture of Nedoceratops proved that this member of the Dinosauria clade was a mature individual of a separate genus. However, Scannella and Horner have provided the counter-argument that the bone texture had variation in the Triceratops dinosaurs as well, and hence, cannot be an indicator of the maturity of Nedoceratops.

Without the presence of more proof, the Triceratops vs. Nedoceratops vs. Toroceratops debate is likely to continue.

How big is the Nedoceratops compared to other dinosaurs?

In comparison to another member of the Ceratopsidae family and the Ornithischia order called Eotriceratops xerinsularis, which had a length between 28-39 ft (8.5-11.8 m), it is quite evident that the Nedoceratops dinosaur did not grow to be as long.

However, Nedoceratops was longer than Titanoceratops ouranos, which had an estimated length between 21-22 ft (6.4-6.7 m).

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Tupuxuara facts, or Prosaurolophus facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable family of four dinosaurs coloring pages.