Diabloceratops

Filed under Cretaceous dinosaurs · Types of Dinosaurs editorial team

Order: Ornithischia · Suborder: Ceratopsia · Infraorder: Ceratopsidae · Family: Ceratopsidae

Diabloceratops was a horned dinosaur that roamed the Late Cretaceous landscapes of Utah. Its name, meaning "devil horned face," derives from its most striking feature: a pair of large, curving horns that rose prominently from the top of its bony frill. The animal also bore shorter horns above its eyes and possessed a notably deep snout. Measuring approximately 15 feet in length, Diabloceratops was a member of the Ceratopsidae family and belonged to the centrosaurine branch of ceratopsians, a diverse group of herbivorous dinosaurs.

As one of the earliest ceratopsids known from North America, Diabloceratops holds considerable scientific importance. Its anatomy provides paleontologists with valuable insights into how the elaborate frills and horns characteristic of later horned dinosaurs first emerged and developed over time. The creature fed on low-growing vegetation, using its beak to crop plants and its grinding teeth to process food. By studying fossils like Diabloceratops, scientists gain a clearer understanding of ceratopsian evolution and the selective pressures that may have shaped these distinctive features throughout the group's history.

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Reference background: Natural History Museum, London — Dinosaurs; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs; American Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs & Fossils. Figures are typical published ranges; taxonomy follows the source era and modern consensus is noted where it differs. See our sources & fact-check policy.

Related dinosaurs

Other dinosaurs from the Ceratopsidae family.