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87 / Mesozoic
Psittacosaurus
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis
A deep parrot-like beak helped this early horned dinosaur process plants; this record distinguishes P. mongoliensis from other specimens of the genus.
Structured expansion · editorial review pending
- Time range
- About 125–100 million years ago
- Final stage
- End of the Early Cretaceous
- Geographic range
- Interior East Asia · Mongolia and northern China
01 / ANSWER FIRST
What was Psittacosaurus?
This archive records Psittacosaurus under the scientific name Psittacosaurus mongoliensis, with an age of About 125–100 million years ago and a range of Interior East Asia · Mongolia and northern China. A deep parrot-like beak helped this early horned dinosaur process plants; this record distinguishes P. mongoliensis from other specimens of the genus.
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis was an early ceratopsian without the long horns and large frill of Triceratops. The famous skin, cloaca and tail-bristle specimen SMF R 4970 is identified as Psittacosaurus sp. in the relevant studies, not securely as this species.
02 / QUICK FACTS
Psittacosaurus at a glance
- Scientific name
- Psittacosaurus mongoliensis
- Age
- About 125–100 million years ago
- Last recorded stage
- End of the Early Cretaceous
- Known range
- Interior East Asia · Mongolia and northern China
- Broad group
- dinosaur
- Archive era
- Mesozoic
- Habitat signals
- vegetation, prey communities, floodplains and regional climate
- Documented regions
- Asia
03 / ANATOMY
How was Psittacosaurus built?
Overall body plan
A deep parrot-like beak helped this early horned dinosaur process plants; this record distinguishes P. mongoliensis from other specimens of the genus.
Skull, teeth and display structures
The available record is interpreted through preserved proportions, attachment surfaces, wear and comparison with related organisms. For Psittacosaurus, those observations must be separated from features added only for visual reconstruction.
Limbs, balance and locomotion
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis was an early ceratopsian without the long horns and large frill of Triceratops. The famous skin, cloaca and tail-bristle specimen SMF R 4970 is identified as Psittacosaurus sp. in the relevant studies, not securely as this species.
Growth and individual variation
A single specimen does not define the whole species. Size, maturity, preservation and possible sex differences are considered before anatomical traits are treated as typical of Psittacosaurus.
04 / DIET & BEHAVIOUR
How did Psittacosaurus live?
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis was an early ceratopsian without the long horns and large frill of Triceratops. The famous skin, cloaca and tail-bristle specimen SMF R 4970 is identified as Psittacosaurus sp. in the relevant studies, not securely as this species. This ecological reconstruction is strongest where anatomy, associated organisms and the depositional setting point in the same direction.
05 / DIET & BEHAVIOUR
What shaped its ecological limits?
Its populations depended on vegetation, prey communities, floodplains and regional climate. Changes in any one factor did not necessarily cause immediate extinction, but interacting pressures could reduce range, recruitment and resilience.
06 / RANGE & HABITAT
Where and when did Psittacosaurus live?
This archive currently lists About 125–100 million years ago; Interior East Asia · Mongolia and northern China. Fossil or historical occurrence data describe where evidence has been found, not every place the taxon once occupied. Species-level age and range limits still require source-specific review.
Documented geographic range
Interior East Asia · Mongolia and northern China. This boundary can change when specimens are reidentified or new localities are published.
Time window
About 125–100 million years ago, with the final recorded stage listed as End of the Early Cretaceous. Rock units and dating uncertainty mean the true biological range may extend beyond the known record.
Environmental setting
The archive uses the broad habitat labels vegetation, prey communities, floodplains and regional climate. These labels help explore related records; a habitat reconstruction requires evidence from individual localities.
07 / FOSSIL EVIDENCE
What evidence supports reconstructions of Psittacosaurus?
Primary record
Skeletons and teeth document this species. The skin, cloaca and tail bristles of SMF R 4970 provide comparison within the genus, but the relevant studies do not identify that specimen as Psittacosaurus mongoliensis.
Comparative anatomy
Preserved structures are compared with close and functionally similar organisms. The method can constrain posture and function, but analogy alone cannot prove colour, behaviour or soft tissue.
Age and locality
Stratigraphy and occurrence records place Psittacosaurus within About 125–100 million years ago and Interior East Asia · Mongolia and northern China. Reworked fossils and uncertain provenance are treated cautiously.
Open entity records
Links below connect the archive to available taxonomic and occurrence records. A matching name does not verify every ecological claim, and related-taxon links provide comparison rather than an exact species match.
Evidence limits for this record
SMF R 4970 is listed as Psittacosaurus sp. The associated skin and cloacal evidence is comparative at genus level, not an exact match to P. mongoliensis.
08 / DISAPPEARANCE & DEBATE
Why did Psittacosaurus disappear?
East Asian environments and dinosaur communities changed later in the Cretaceous.
The last fossil or observation marks the youngest evidence currently known, not necessarily the death of the final individual. Explanations are strongest when timing, environmental change and population biology agree; otherwise the profile preserves uncertainty instead of assigning a single dramatic cause.
09 / FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Psittacosaurus FAQ
What was Psittacosaurus?
This archive records Psittacosaurus under the scientific name Psittacosaurus mongoliensis, with an age of About 125–100 million years ago. A deep parrot-like beak helped this early horned dinosaur process plants; this record distinguishes P. mongoliensis from other specimens of the genus.
When did Psittacosaurus live?
The current archive range is About 125–100 million years ago; its youngest recorded stage is End of the Early Cretaceous.
Where was Psittacosaurus found?
The archive currently lists Interior East Asia · Mongolia and northern China. Species-level locality assignments and the full geographic range still require source-specific review.
How do scientists know about Psittacosaurus?
Skeletons and teeth document this species. The skin, cloaca and tail bristles of SMF R 4970 provide comparison within the genus, but the relevant studies do not identify that specimen as Psittacosaurus mongoliensis.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Completed an AI-assisted bilingual audit of the archive record, corrected identified issues and clarified evidence limits; independent editorial review is pending.
- Expanded into a structured bilingual profile with anatomy, ecology, range, evidence, debate and FAQs; independent editorial review is pending.
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS