Triceratops

Easily one of the most famous dinosaurs, Triceratops(three horned face) is a timeless classic among dinosaur lovers. This large, horned dinosaur roamed North America about 65-70 million years ago.

Description
Triceratops get's it's name from the large horns on it's skull. A small horn can be found right above the nose, and two larger ones above each eye. These brow horns measure over 3 feet(1 meter) in length! Along with it's horns, Triceratops also has a large frill over 6 feet(2 meters) across at the back of it's head. It's huge body is supported by four powerful legs. Some evidence suggests Triceratops may have had quill-like feathers on it's body.

Size
Triceratops is probably the largest ceratopsian. Adults roughly the same size as a modern day elephant. Length estimates run in the 23-30 foot(7-9 meters) range. However, it's weight is somewhat debated. Estimates as low as 3 tons are known, while ones as high as 12 tons have also been made public. Most agree on a weight of about 5-7 tons.

Behavior
Like most herbivores, Triceratops was a social animal. These dinosaurs lived in herds of dozens, if not hundreds of individuals. Adults would protect the young from predators. It's been theorized that the adults would form a circle around the juveniles to protect them. That way, their horns and frills would be facing the attackers. The horns and frills may also have been used for display and/or other social acts.

Predators
North America was home to a number of species of predators during the time of Triceratops. The tyrannosaur Nanotyrannus and small feathered Dromaeosaurus were present at the time. But the most common and deadliest threat to Triceratops would have been Tyrannosaurus rex.

In Popular Culture
Triceratops has been a fixture in pop culture for decades. Featured in movies like Jurassic Park and documentaries like When Dinosaurs Roamed America, it quickly gained a reputation as everyone's favorite plant-eating dinosaur. Many other movies, documentaries, and books have also depicted Triceratops.