The Torosaurus was a large herbivore that lived during the late Cretaceous period. It was one of the last members of the ceratopsid family, which also included the Triceratops. The Torosaurus was characterised by its large size, long neck and tail, and distinctive horns. It is thought to have weighed up to 6 tonnes and measured up to 9 metres in length.
The Torosaurus was first described in 1887 by Othniel Charles Marsh. Its name means “bull lizard”, referring to its horns. The Torosaurus is known from numerous fossil specimens, including several complete skeletons. These have been found in North America, Europe, Asia and South America.
The Torosaurus was a plant-eater (herbivore) and probably fed on low-growing plants such as ferns and cycads. It used its beak and strong jaws to bite off pieces of vegetation, which it then swallowed whole. Like other ceratopsids, the Torosaurus had a toothless beak and cheek teeth (premolars and molars) that were suited for grinding up tough plant material.
It is thought that the Torosaurus may have been hunted by the Tyrannosaurus Rex – one of the most famous predators of all time! However, there is no direct evidence for this (such as fossils of T. rex with bites marks on them). It is also possible that the two animals simply coexisted without hunting each other… or maybe they even shared meals together!