Psittacosaurus mongoliensis sih-TAK-oh-SOR-us
"Parrot lizard"
You 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall
Psittacosaurus 2 m (6.6 ft) long
2 people holding hands
- Length
- 2 m (6.6 ft) — About 2 m long, ~20 kg — bipedal, parrot-beaked, with bristles on its tail.
- Period
- Early Cretaceous (125–100 Mya)
- Place
- Asia · China · Mongolia · Russia
- Food
- Herbivore — Tough plants and seeds, cracked by the parrot-like beak — likely the most abundant herbivore of its time.
Psittacosaurus is one of the best-known dinosaurs because so many specimens have been found — over 400, ranging from hatchlings to adults. One spectacular Chinese specimen preserves the skin, gut contents, and even bristles on the tail. Color analysis of the skin shows the underside was lighter than the back — counter-shading like a modern deer.
What we know
- Over 400 specimens known — one of the best-sampled dinosaurs.
- Bristles on the tail are clearly preserved on at least one specimen.
- Skin color reconstructed: dark on top, light underneath (countershading).
- Early ceratopsian — walked on two legs, unlike its later cousins.
What we guess
- Function of the tail bristles — display, threat signaling, or both.
- How young Psittacosaurus interacted with adults — some bonebeds suggest creches.
- Why ceratopsians later went from bipedal (Psittacosaurus) to quadrupedal (Triceratops).