Psittacosaurus

Psittacosaurus mongoliensis

Psittacosaurus means parrot lizard, named for its parrot-like beak. It is one of the most species-rich dinosaur genera with over 10 valid species. Exceptional fossils show it had quill-like structures on its tail and countershading camouflage.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Human Scale
体长	2.0 m	about the size of a human adult
Height	0.6 m	—
体重	20 kg	lighter than a human adult

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Psittacosaurus 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

Psittacosaurus 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.

Discovery & Naming

命名者	Henry Fairfield Osborn
发现年份	1923
发现地点	Mongolia

分类

Dinosauria → Ornithischia → Ceratopsia → Psittacosaurus

Horned faces

Herbivorous dinosaurs with distinctive horns and frills. Ranges from small bipedal forms like Psittacosaurus to massive quadrupeds like Triceratops.

Size Comparison

At 2.0 meters long and 20.0 kg, Psittacosaurus was about the size of a human adult and lighter than a human adult.

Other dinosaurs from the same period:

Mandschurosaurus Byakudansauropus Agustinia ligabuei Mantellisaurus Calamosaurus foxi Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis

Quick Facts

分类	Ceratopsia
地质时代	Cretaceous Early
食性	Herbivore
体型	2.0m long, 0.6m tall, 20.0kg

常见问题

When did Psittacosaurus live?

Psittacosaurus lived during the Cretaceous Early period (Mesozoic Era, 145.0–100.5 million years ago).

What did Psittacosaurus eat?

Psittacosaurus was a herbivore.

How big was Psittacosaurus?

Psittacosaurus was approximately 2.0 meters long, 0.6 meters tall, weighed around 20.0 kg.

When was Psittacosaurus discovered?

Psittacosaurus was first described in 1923 by Henry Fairfield Osborn, with fossils found in Mongolia.

What type of dinosaur was Psittacosaurus?

Psittacosaurus belonged to the Ceratopsia group, which is part of the larger Ornithischia clade.

Where were Psittacosaurus fossils found?

Fossils of Psittacosaurus were found in Mongolia.

What is the scientific name of Psittacosaurus?

The scientific name of Psittacosaurus is Psittacosaurus mongoliensis.

Compare with Similar Dinosaurs

Psittacosaurus vs Triceratops Psittacosaurus vs Styracosaurus Psittacosaurus vs Protoceratops

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Cretaceous Early

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