Mystery dinosaur Horn

[Darwin and Wallace]

Here's another Cretaceous western fossil that needs an ID. Its either from Hell Creek or Lance Creek (will have to check my records again), and I initially purchased it as a young triceratops nasal horn. After looking at it some more, I'm wondering if it might be an ankylosaur spike, or maybe something else. Thoughts?

[LordTrilobite]

Ankylosaurid spikes are very dense in structure.

 

My first thought these photos before reading your description was that this is likely a Triceratops nasal horn. So yeah if you bought it labeled as that I think that's correct. The shape and structure fits even though it's a bit worn.

[TyBoy]

Looks like a nasal horn.   Not sure one can say its from a young triceratops... Nasal horns come in different sizes and there are other ceratopsians in those formations other than triceratops.

[Darwin and Wallace]

@LordTrilobite @TyBoy, ok well that's a pretty good consensus to me. Thanks!

[LordTrilobite]

2 hours ago, TyBoy said:

Looks like a nasal horn.   Not sure one can say its from a young triceratops... Nasal horns come in different sizes and there are other ceratopsians in those formations other than triceratops.

Though it looks like this specimen might be too worn, younger Triceratops will not have a fused nasal horn. The shape and size also differs between species.

 

The more common T. horridus for example has a smaller nasal horn while the rarer T. prorsus has a larger nasal horn.