"Triceratops (Three-Horned Face) is one of the most recognizable non-avian dinosaurs. These animals inhabit stretches of open prairies or marshlands in small herds, where they feed on ferns and woody shrubs. Triceratops are extremely tenacious and aggressive in temperament. Specimens have been observed surviving with their horns, tails and even snouts partially bitten off. This gives these very old animals, with their denuded brow horns and various scars, a hardened, battle-worn character. Even adult T. rex must take caution of these brutes”
― Saurian encylopedia
Triceratops is an extinct genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 66 million years ago in what is now North America. It is one of the playable dinosaurs available in the Saurian game.
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Two species, Triceratops horridus and Triceratops prorsus, are considered valid, although many other species have been named. In accounts to the Hell Creek Formation. T. horridus is found in the lower half of the formation, while T. prorsus is found in the upper third of the formation, just before the layer marking the end of the Cretaceous. Triceratops was a very large creature, with adults weighing up to 9 tons, as well as some specimens thought to weigh upwards of 13 tons.
There has been much speculation over the functions of Triceratops' head adornments. The two main theories have revolved around use in combat, or display in courtship, with the latter thought now to be the most likely primary function. Triceratops were long thought to have possibly used their horns and frills in combat with predators such as Tyrannosaurus, the idea being discussed first by C. H. Sternberg in 1917 and 70 years later by Robert Bakker. There is evidence that Tyrannosaurus did have aggressive head-on encounters with Triceratops, based on partially healed tyrannosaur tooth marks on a Triceratops brow horn and squamosal; the bitten horn is also broken, with new bone growth after the break. Which animal was the aggressor is not known. Since the Triceratops wounds healed, it is most likely that the Triceratops survived the encounter and managed to overcome the Tyrannosaurus. Later discoveries have also found some Triceratops that were likely killed by Tyrannosaurus. The theory of their use in sexual display was first proposed by Davitashvili in 1961 and has gained increasing acceptance since. Evidence that visual display was important, either in courtship or in other social behavior, can be seen in the fact that horned dinosaurs differ markedly in their adornments, making each species highly distinctive. Also, modern living creatures with such displays of horns and adornments use them in similar behavior. A 2006 study of the smallest Triceratops skull, ascertained to be a juvenile, shows the frill and horns developed at a very early age, predating sexual development and thus probably important for visual communication and species recognition in general.
Triceratops is often thought to be herbivorous, and because of it’s low head, it’s primary food was probably low growth, although it may have been able to knock down taller plants with it’s horns, beak, and bulk. The jaws were tipped with a deep, narrow beak, believed to have been better at grasping and plucking than biting. Triceratops teeth were arranged in groups called batteries, of 36 to 40 tooth columns, in each side of each jaw with 3 to 5 stacked teeth per column, depending on the size of the animal. This gives a range of 432 to 800 teeth, of which only a fraction were in use at any given time (tooth replacement was continuous and occurred throughout the life of the animal). They functioned by shearing in a vertical to near-vertical orientation. The great size and numerous teeth of Triceratops suggests that it ate large volumes of fibrous plant material, with some suggesting palms and cyads and others suggesting ferns, which then grew in prairies. Some paleontologists, however, believe that Triceratops may have been an omnivore, sometimes scavenging on dead animals.
Its back and tail also had a series of weird, fist-sized bumps, each one holding a nipple-like structure which has yet to be explained by scientists. Many scientisits think that they may be bristle-like feathers that were found on Psittacosaurus. The purpose for these bristle-like feathers are unknown, but its' possible that if this skin impression is showing the roots of these feathers, then all ceratopsians likely had them due to all of them being descended from Psittacosaurus. However, some studies seem to show that these bumps were just osteoderms like Carnotaurus.
In Saurian[]
A mature male Triceratops in its environment
Triceratops prorsus appears in Saurian as a playable dinosaur. It is portrayed with scales and bumpy protuberances running down the length of the body. The colors along its body include brown with yellow spots. On its head is a red, yellow, and white face, frill and horns for display.
Triceratops is currently on Saurian as a playable dinosaur. Male and female skins are known in Triceratops, as well as ontogenic variation, including hatchling, juvenile and subadult forms.
Dakotaraptor gameplay[]
As a Dakotaraptor, the adult forms of this animal are nearly impossible to take down. One can try take one down as a super adult with enough persistance, but it is highly difficult, given that they can kill you with a few blows. You can try to challenge a Triceratops once you reach the super adult stage, but trying to kill it by using RPR is almost impossible, since it can immediately throw you off as soon as you mount it. Biting it's tail is the best option, however, it costs a lot of time, and can always risk you being struck by a fatal blow. If the player does not attack a Triceratops, they may charge at you if you don't react properly to their threat calls or charges. Herds may react more aggressively to the presence of Dakotaraptor, specially if the Triceratops communal strength outnumbers the raptor, and specially if they feel that your presence is a threat to some herd members. Young subadult Triceratops are much more easy to take down, but that must be taken with care, as they are still powerful creatures, being naturally easier to take down through RPR, than adults. Juvenile and hatchling Triceratops can be hunted down with more ease, but, just like in subadults and adults, one must be careful so to not draw too much attention to the rest of the herd, that may come after you to protect its herd member.
Triceratops gameplay[]
Triceratops is the second playable dinosaur to be implemented in the game. Triceratops is a herd animal, capable of a myriad of social skills, through a social menu (which you unlock by pressing F), to report threats to the herd, threaten dangerous creatures, socialize with other Triceratops, perform mating calls and nest building, and see stats about your herd members, including hunger, thirst, stamina and theirs and yours reputation. You are also able to charge and create devastating blows of force by swinging your horns against a threat.
Triceratops are herd living herbivorous animals. For nutrition, you have to feed on plants. Clutches of medium-sized herbs and tree saplings are usually edible by the player, and each serve different nutritional needs. For example, Equisetum plants are among the most nutritious plants, while Zingiberopsis are among the least nutritious. Males and females display an accentuated sexual dimorphism as adults and old subadults, with females displaying a brownish dull coloration, in contrast to the bright orange-yellow colors of the male, filled with beautiful orange and white frill patterns, and bright yellowish spots in the body. A herd of adults, is composed of a big amount of females, and usually are dominated by a male, which has the right to reproduce with the adult females of the group. Adult males do not tolerate other adult males, and they may fight for dominance. Hatchlings can join herds of other hatchlings, but usually stick with their parent's herd for protection. Juveniles abandon their parent's herd and make a herd with their siblings or join a herd with other juveniles or subadults. Subadults can join herds with other juveniles and/or subadults. Adults can only join adult herds.
You hold a reputation meter. Usually, you increase your reputation by killing or attacking threats, making useful warning calls and threaten dangerous animals. Your reputation goes down if you threaten herd members, as well as make false warning calls. Once your reputation goes down far enough, you are rejected by the herd. You also have a specific area you have to move around to avoid leaving the herd. Once you stray away from the herd too far, a icon will pop up warning you that you are straying away from the herd. If you continue to distance yourself from the herd, you get to a point where you leave the herd altogether and you are therefore no longer a part of it, forcing you to look for another herd, if that's your desire.
Triceratops are able to charge. By holding LMB, you are able to keep your head lowered down, and then, if you release it, you are able to shake your head forwards, leading to a devastating blow with your horns. For maximum effect, you can hold LMB while running towards a target, and you are then motivated to aim at the target for the most damage to be delivered. Badly aimed charges may result in less severe damage to any animal you aim to charge against.
Hatchling Triceratops stay with their parents upon birth. You spawn in your nest and you are able to run, walk, eat and drink by yourself right as you spawn in. At this stage, you are able of creating simple social calls, as well as making warning calls to warn adults of a threat. Almost every predator, capable of providing damage, is a potential threat as a young hatchling. The player is a hatchling from age 0-1.
Once you become a juvenile, your parent's herd will abandon you. Trample damage will be activated for your former adult herd members, which may cause you to die, if you decide to stick too close to them and be trampled by one of them. You will automatically form a herd with your siblings (if they are around) and they will grow alongside you. You may join herds of other juveniles and subadults, by using the social display tool. As a juvenile, you start to be able to threaten other animals. Hatchling and juvenile Dakotaraptor, as well as Acheroraptor and even Pectinodon are no longer dangerous predators, but you must take caution against the rest. Your size and power is enough to kill some crocodylomorphs and Palaeosaniwa, and even older Dakotaraptor, but that must be taken with caution. The player is a juvenile from age 1-3.
Subadults are much larger and much more powerful, though the social skills maintain themselves. You are only able to join herds and socializing with juveniles and subadults of your species. Most predators are now unlikely to kill you, with the exception of Tyrannosaurus, which is a formidable and dangerous predator still, however, as an old subdault, even Tyrannosaurus can be defeated. The player is a subadult from age 3-8.
Once you become an adult, members of your old herd that are younger than you, will no longer be part of your herd. If you have siblings, these will grow alongside you and therefore will be the same age as you, and will be transferred to your adult herd. Members of your herd that have entered adulthood at least shortly before you will also be transferred to your herd, once you hit adult stage. At this point, you only accept other adults to your herd. If you're a female, you will follow the herd around and serve little role in leadership. However, unlike immature herds and female-only herds, adult herds with a male have that male as the leader of the herd. There's usually only one adult male per adult herd. If two males are in the same space, they will fight each other for dominance, until one of them gives up, or is killed by the victorious male. At this stage only Tyrannosaurus are predators to consider, but you are able to kill one with a relative ease, though you will likely have the help of your herd. The player is an adult starting from age 8. The player also becomes a superadult as it hits age 16. Triceratops mating display is consisted with a simple head nod, to signify the display of majestic horns and frill. The nest of the Triceratops is a mound of dirt covered in leaf matter, and the eggs are roundish and white in natural color. One of the parents is tasked to replenish the nest with leaf matter to keep the eggs warm, before they hatch.
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