“Big John” Triceratops Specimen Has Skull Injuries That May Have Come From Combat
The Triceratops horridus Big John. The complete restored skeleton; the fenestra analyzed here is indicated by the white circle (courtesy of Ferrara A., and Briano I.). Credit: Scientific Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08033-2
The fossilized remains of the triceratops specimen known as ‘Big John’ display injuries to the skull that may have occurred during combat with another triceratops, according to new research published in Scientific Reports.
Triceratops (Triceratops horridus) is a species of horned dinosaurs characterized by its large neck frill formed from extended patietal and squamosal skull bones. It has been suggested that this bony frill served as protection against injuries from other triceratops during fights.
The Triceratops horridus Big John. (a) The complete restored skeleton; the fenestra analyzed here is indicated by the white circle (courtesy of Ferrara A., and Briano I.). (b) Detail of the skull (courtesy of Ferrara A., and Briano I.). (c) Detail of the fenestra: plaquelike deposition of reactive bone (white arrows) and lytic lesions (black arrows) are visible on the bony surface around the lesion. The region where the sample to be analyzed was taken is visible on the lower margin. Credit: Scientific Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08033-2
Ruggero D’Anastasio and colleagues examined the triceratops specimen known as ‘Big John’, so named for its large size, which was discovered in 2014 in the Upper DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08033-2
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