Horridus revealed
Viewing the fossil of Horridus the Triceratops is an awe-inspiring experience. But have you ever wondered what a Triceratops looked like when it was alive?
Artist’s representation of Triceratops. Artist: Raul Ramos
Adjust the slider to see how Horridus the Triceratops might have looked with skin.
How do we know what Horridus might have looked like?
Scientists can tell a lot about a dinosaur from its fossilised remains—like its size and diet and even how it walked. But what about its skin?
In most cases, soft tissues like skin and organs decompose or are eaten by other animals before they can turn into fossils. But sometimes we are left with skin impressions—areas on a fossil where we can see the pattern of the animal’s skin. These can give us important clues about what the creature looked like when it was alive.
From fossilised skin impressions we can tell that Triceratops horridus had hexagonal scales across its body. There were also some larger scales with a raised point in the middle.
But what about the colour?
The artists who work to create realistic images of prehistoric life are known as palaeoartists.
Palaeoartists often use living species like birds and crocodiles as a guide to how dinosaurs may have looked. They take into account the animal’s surroundings and how it camouflaged in its environment. Of course, each artist also brings their own style, combining current science with imagination to create a realistic picture of what the dinosaur might have looked like when it was alive.
Do you think Horridus looks good in green? Adjust the slider to try out different colours on the Triceratops’ skin.
Artist’s representation of Triceratops. Artist: Raul Ramos
