Psittacosaurus (centre) and an unnamed stegosaur (left)
Max' Blogo-Saurus has a fantastic post about Psittacosaurus. Psittacosaurus means "parrot lizard", which comes from it's beaked face. It is related to all ceratopian dinosaurs like Triceratops and is classified near the base of Marginocephalia. There are at least 12 species of Psittacosaurus. Their abundance in Asia during the Cretaceous Period has lead to the discovery of many non-avian dinosaur characteristics, like feathers, gastroliths, and social behavior.
What is the most abundant dinosaur?
If you guessed Psittacosaurus – a small horned dinosaur from across Asia – you are correct!
While most dinosaurs have just one species, Psittacosaurus has twelve. Twelve! Having eleven more species than the average dinosaur may seem insane, but when you consider that thousands of Psittacosaurus specimens have been discovered, it becomes easier to fathom.
Despite being so common, I bet you’ve never heard of Psittacosaurus. There are two understandable reasons for this. First, at under two meters long and weighing no more than 40 kilograms (88 lbs), Psittacosaurus was tiny compared to dinosaurs like Triceratops or Stegosaurus. Second, while it was a member of the ceratopsian order (horned dinosaurs), Psittacosaurus was an early genus and thus lacks the massive frills and horns that became widespread in later members.
