Aquilops americanus, a dinosaur that belonged to the ceratopsian group, specifically the Protoceratopsidae family. This dinosaur lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 113 million years ago. Its name, "Aquilops", is derived from the Latin "Aquil" meaning "eagle" and "ops" meaning "face" or "aspect", referring to the appearance of its skull.
Aquilops americanus was a small dinosaur compared to other ceratopsians. It is estimated that it was around 60 centimeters long and stood approximately 30 centimeters high at the hip. It had a relatively small and light body, front legs shorter than the rear legs, and a tail that extended from the back of its body.
The most distinctive feature of the Aquilops was its head, which was adorned with a pair of small horns on top of its eyes, giving it a slightly similar appearance to the larger ceratopsians that lived later. These horns were small compared to those of its later relatives, such as Triceratops, but were an important feature on its skull.
Although Aquilops americanus had a similar appearance to ceratopsians, it is believed that its diet was different. Later ceratopsians were mainly herbivores and ate plants, while it is thought that Aquilops may have had a more varied diet, possibly including insects and other small organisms.
Fossils of Aquilops americanus have been found in what is now the state of Montana, in the United States. The discovery of this dinosaur is important in paleontology because it sheds light on the diversity of ceratopsians in the Early Cretaceous of North America and helps to better understand the evolution of these dinosaurs. Furthermore, it represents one of the first records of ceratopsians in this geographical region and in this time of the Cretaceous.
Approximate measurements of the Aquilops:
- Scale 1:20
- Length 20mm
- Height 12mm
- Snout-base tail length 29.5 mm
- 1:6 scale
- Length 66mm
- Height 41mm
- Snout-tail base length 99 mm
