Avaceratops
Avaceratops was a small, plant-eating dinosaur with a big frill on its head and a parrot-like beak. It lived in what is now Montana, USA, during the Late Cretaceous period, about 77 million years ago.21
When did it live?
How big was it?
How long was it?
How heavy was it?
How big was Avaceratops compared to YOU?
Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Fun facts
Avaceratops had a solid frill, unlike many other horned dinosaurs that had holes in their frills.2
The first fossil was found in 1981 by Eddie Cole on a ranch in Montana, and the dinosaur was named after Eddie's wife, Ava.2
Avaceratops was the first new ceratopsid dinosaur named in 36 years, since Pachyrhinosaurus in 1950.2
The type specimen might have been a juvenile, and a 2019 study showed it was still growing quickly when it died.2
A larger skull, MOR 692, shows that adult Avaceratops could have brow horns about 25 centimetres (9.8 inches) long.2
Avaceratops lived in a wet, heavily forested habitat, unlike the open plains where some other horned dinosaurs lived.2
Most asked questions about Avaceratops
?How big was Avaceratops?
The first fossil was about 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) long, but that was a juvenile. An adult may have reached 4.2 metres (14 ft) and weighed about one tonne.21
?What did Avaceratops eat?
Avaceratops was a herbivore. It ate plants like ferns, cycads and conifers, using its sharp beak to bite off leaves.2
?Did Avaceratops have horns?
Yes, adult Avaceratops had brow horns about 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long. It may not have had a nose horn.2
?When did Avaceratops live?
Avaceratops lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 77 million years ago.21
?Where was Avaceratops found?
Avaceratops fossils were found in the Judith River Formation of Montana, USA.21
?Why is it called Avaceratops?
The name means 'Ava's horned face'. It was named after Ava Cole, the wife of the fossil finder Eddie Cole.2
Ask Rex about Avaceratops
Rex only answers questions about this page. 3 questions a day.
Rex is an AI and can make mistakes. He runs on servers in the EU and questions are never saved. Never type your name or other personal things.
Myth buster
Myth: Avaceratops was a tiny dinosaur, only about 2.3 metres long.
Truth: The first skeleton was small, but it may have been a juvenile. A larger skull suggests adults could reach over 4 metres long.2
For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Avaceratops
- Named by
- Dodson 19863
- Group
- Horned dinos
- Family / clade
- Ceratopsidae3
- Classification
- Ornithischia > Ceratopsia > Ceratopsidae3
- Age of the rocks
- 84 to 72 million years (Campanian)3
- Rock formations
- Judith River, Oldman3
- Countries
- USA, Canada3
- Fossil records
- 3 in the Paleobiology Database3
- Discovery
- Eddie Cole found the first bones in 1981 on a ranch in Montana. Peter Dodson named it Avaceratops lammersi in 1986, after Cole's wife Ava and the Lammers family who owned the ranch.2
- Still debated
- Scientists are not sure where Avaceratops fits in the dinosaur family tree, because the best skeleton is from a young animal, and young dinosaurs can look more primitive than adults.2
Where the facts come from
- Avaceratops | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
- Avaceratops (en.wikipedia.org)
- Avaceratops in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are dino fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
Rex is hungry! Dino Wiki is a dad's project for his dino-loving son, free with no ads. Grown-ups can feed Rex a snack to help keep it online.Feed Rex
Triceratops
Protoceratops
Ojoceratops
Tatankaceratops
Psittacosaurus
Centrosaurus
Tyrannosaurus
Velociraptor
Spinosaurus
Ankylosaurus
Parasaurolophus
Pteranodon