Aquilops americanus

†Aquilops americanus was a small neoceratopsian dinosaur herbivore of the Early Cretaceous, discovered in the Cloverly Formation of Montana, United States. One of the earliest ceratopsians known from North America, it was tiny—roughly 60cm long—and possessed a parrot-like beak and large eyes. Described in 2014, it provides evidence for an Asian origin of North American ceratopsian dinosaurs.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Aquilops americanus was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Cretaceous Early Mesozoic Era

Aquilops americanus lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145.0 to 100.5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.