Real Triceratops nasal horn?

[-Andy-]

Hi all, I just purchased a large Triceratops nasal horn.

I'm unfamiliar with Trikes fossils though. I believe it's real(which is why I bought it), but it's a pretty expensive buy, so I'd like your opinions on this piece. It comes from Glendive, Montana.

[Troodon]

Andy, I think it's a has the shape of nasal. Not sure you label it Trike you still have lots of Paleontologists who argue Torosaurus is a valid genus. Nice pickup.

[Susan from PA]

Andy, I think it's a has the shape of nasal. Not sure you label it Trike you still have lots of Paleontologists who argue Torosaurus is a valid genus. Nice pickup.

Would you label it as Cerotopsian sp?

Very nice addition to your collection, Andy!

[JarrodB]

Nice one Andy.

[Troodon]

Would you label it as Cerotopsian sp?

Very nice addition to your collection, Andy!

Knowing Andy I would say Trike. I'm not in sync with that taxon and label all my Triceratops sp. Edited April 14, 2016 by Troodon

[Ridgehiker]

Although worn, It has the external texture of ceratopsian. However, not the more streamlined nature of the Triceratops horns we find in the latest Cretaceous.

Having said that, horns are quite variable. It could just be extremely eroded on the distal end.

Where was it found exactly other than just coming out of Glendive? Why does the seller claim it to be Triceratops and not some other ceratopsian. If I saw the specimen with no other info I'd identify it as more like horns from the Judith River/ Oldman age formation.

Edited April 14, 2016 by Ridgehiker

[Fossil Claw]

Nice looks real to me.

Nice pickup.

[-Andy-]

Thanks for the comments guys!

Knowing Andy I would say Trike. I'm not in sync with that taxon and label all my Triceratops sp.

You know me too well, Frank

Although worn, It has the external texture of ceratopsian. However, not the more streamlined nature of the Triceratops horns we find in the latest Cretaceous.

Having said that, horns are quite variable. It could just be extremely eroded on the distal end.

Where was it found exactly other than just coming out of Glendive? Why does the seller claim it to be Triceratops and not some other ceratopsian. If I saw the specimen with no other info I'd identify it as more like horns from the Judith River/ Oldman age formation.

Seller said it came from 30 miles East of Glendive, in a ranch that's 50 square miles. They've found no other ceratopsian but Triceratops there.

[HamptonsDoc]

Nice buy!

[fossilized6s]

Sweet piece, Andy!

[FossilDudeCO]

Wow nice one!

[Fossil Claw]

Andy, here is my small Triceratops collection.

• nose horn
• vertebra
• two teeth
• small rib section

[emc2]

I have one is very similar to yours.

But I don't that is Triceratops horn or not.

[LordTrilobite]

Yeah looks like a Triceratops nasal horn.

 

 

 

Personally I don't consider Torosaurus synonymous with Triceratops. But it's much rarer than Triceratops itself.

There's two species of Triceratops. T. horridus and T. prorsus. The latter is geologically the youngest and probably decends from T. horridus.

Triceratops horridus is much more common than Triceratops prorsus.

 

Luckily, the nasal horn is probably the most identifiable feature between the two species. T. horridus has quite a small nasal horn and points dorsally, while the nasal horn of T. prorsus is quite elongate and points more anteriorly.

 

If you know a more precise age that would also help because I don't think there's much overlap between the species.

 

Triceratops horridus

 

 

Triceratops prorsus

 

Side by side with T. horridus on the left and T. prorsus on the right.

 

 

Your fossil looks more like T. prorsus, which would be pretty rare. I don't think it looks much like T. horridus.

 

 

 

I can't say that I know much about the nasal features of Torosaurus though.

 

 

[hxmendoza]

On ‎8‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 1:39 AM, emc2 said:

I have one is very similar to yours.

But I don't that is Triceratops horn or not.

 

I think this is a much better fit with a brow horn. I've seen them have round, ovoid, and triangular cross-sections. The taper seems to better fir with a brow horn too. @Andy's T. prorsus nasal horn has a distinctly different taper that is much more consistent with T. prorsus nasal horns.