Triceratops vs Stegosaurus: Horns vs Plates in 3D
Two famous armoured plant-eaters, both about 9 m long. Triceratops had horns and a frill at the front. Stegosaurus had tall plates along its back and spikes on its tail. They never met: Stegosaurus died out more than 80 million years before Triceratops appeared.
Triceratops
About 9 m long and 6 to 12 tonnes. Late Cretaceous, North America.
Stegosaurus
About 9 m long and around 5 tonnes. Late Jurassic, North America and Portugal.
Triceratops vs Stegosaurus: true size
Triceratops vs Stegosaurus at a glance
| Triceratops | Stegosaurus | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | About 9 m long, 6 to 12 tonnes | About 9 m long, around 5 tonnes |
| Lived | About 68 to 66 million years ago | About 155 to 150 million years ago |
| Where | Western North America | Western North America and Portugal |
| Defence | Two long brow horns, a nose horn and a bony frill | Four tail spikes, called a thagomizer |
| On its back | Nothing | Two rows of tall bony plates |
| Head | Huge, up to about 2.5 m long | Small and narrow, with a tiny brain |
| Diet | Tough plants, sliced with hundreds of teeth | Low plants, with small peg-like teeth |
Further apart in time than you think
Stegosaurus lived in the Late Jurassic, about 150 million years ago. Triceratops lived at the very end of the Cretaceous, about 66 million years ago. That gap of more than 80 million years is longer than the time between Triceratops and us.
What were the plates for?
Stegosaurus plates were too thin and weak to be good armour. Scientists think they were mainly for display, to look big and to recognise each other, and they may have helped with warming up and cooling down. The tail spikes were real weapons: a fossil Allosaurus bone has a hole that matches a Stegosaurus spike.
Quick facts
- Triceratops had one of the largest skulls of any land animal.
- The Stegosaurus brain is often compared to the size of a walnut.
- Stegosaurus tail spikes could be over 60 cm long.
- Triceratops walked with its front legs bent slightly outwards to carry its heavy head.
- Both were ornithischians, the group of bird-hipped dinosaurs.
Look inside both
Triceratops vs Stegosaurus questions
Did Triceratops and Stegosaurus live at the same time?
No. Stegosaurus lived about 155 to 150 million years ago. Triceratops lived about 68 to 66 million years ago, more than 80 million years later.
Which was bigger?
Both were about 9 m long, but Triceratops was usually heavier, at 6 to 12 tonnes against around 5 tonnes.
Who would win, Triceratops or Stegosaurus?
They never met, and both were plant-eaters that fought only to defend themselves. Triceratops was heavier with horns at the front; Stegosaurus swung its spiked tail.
What is a thagomizer?
The four spikes on the end of a Stegosaurus tail. The name came from a cartoon and was later picked up by scientists.
Was Stegosaurus a Jurassic dinosaur?
Yes. It lived in the Late Jurassic period. Triceratops lived in the Late Cretaceous.
More face-offs: see all 3D comparisons.
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