images

Psittacosaurus

by

Walter B. Myers/Novapix

Reference

t-din03-15202

Date

2011-03-24

A Jurassic Psittacosaurus prepares to dine on a scrubland cycad 130 million years ago in what is today central Asia.
Psittacosaurus was one of the earliest known ceratopsians, a family of horned, frilled dinosaurs that includes the better known Triceratops. Psittacosaurus was about 3 to 6 feet long and weighed 50 to 175 pounds, depending on species. At least one species had long, quill-like structures on its tail and lower back. With a parrot-like beak it is believed that Psittacosaurus was a plant-eater.