Triceratops was one of the last dinosaurs to appear in the Late Cretaceous. Like other members of the Ceratopsid family, these large quadrupeds sported bony frills, horns, and beak-like mouths.

Their frills were theorized to have a number of purposes, ranging from defense, identification, cooling, and mating display. Although the science of their use is not conclusive, the broad frills and horns have made Triceratops one of the most iconic dinosaurs and are immediately recognizable.

This specimen is a pocket-sized fragment of one of these fossilized frills from a 66,000,000-year-old Triceratops!

The Terrific Triceratops Pocket Fossil is a display box that contains a small, 0.5"-0.75" frill fossil, a folding informational card about the dinosaur, authenticity details, and a beautiful illustration of the dinosaur!

We wanted to put the most bang for your buck into this specimen. It's an all-in-one package that makes a great gift for kids, students, office parties, or just about anyone who loves learning about dinosaurs!

The fossil and folding card both fit snugly in the black 1 3/4" x 1 1/8" x 5/8" charm box, so it truly is a Pocket Fossil!

All fragments of Triceratops frill have been recovered from private land in the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota and each dates back to the Cretaceous Period.

Triceratops was one of the last dinosaurs to appear in the Late Cretaceous. Like other members of the Certatopsid family, these large quadrupeds sported bony frills, horns, and beak-like mouths.

As you might expect, there is evidence that the frill and horns were used as defensive weapons against predators such as Tyrannosaurus Rex, including partially-healed frills and brow horns with Tyrannosaurid tooth marks. However, this is far from settled science.

Assessments of progressive changes in horn orientation and shape during adolescence also indicate the possible visual identification of juveniles, and eventually the onset of sexual maturity. Furthermore, the horns may have been important for mating displays (sexual dimorphism) or even species recognition amid large herds.

In addition, the presence of blood vessels in the frill suggest that these features could be used in identification, courtship, and dominance displays, much like the antlers and horns of modern reindeer, mountain goats, or rhinoceros beetles. The blood vessels also point to the possibility that the frill served to help regular body temperature.

In adulthood, Triceratops measured 29ft long and 10ft tall, with the head comprising nearly one-third of the overall length. These highly evolved herbivores had four dental batteries with which they masticated their food using massive jaw muscles. The dental batteries allowed worn teeth to be continually replaced. Which plants they preferred remains a mystery, but their browse height was probably less than 6ft.