Dinosaur skulls allow deciphering changes in diet

PUBLICATION — Yun, C.-G. & Czepiński, Ł. 2025. Craniomandibular ontogeny of protoceratopsid dinosaurs indicates the possibility of an ontogenetic dietary shift. Lethaia, 58:1-17. http://doi.org/10.18261/let.58.3.8

Figure: The ontogeny of dinosaurs Protoceratops (top) and Bagaceratops (bottom).

Protoceratopsids were small horned dinosaurs common in the Late Cretaceous rocks of the Gobi Desert. New analyses of morphometric data enable to estimate the ontogenetic changes occurring in the skull of these animals. Many features related to the food acquisition did not undergo significant changes, suggesting that even juveniles were able to obtain food independently. In turn, the elongating snout and mandibular process indicate an increasing bite force in these animals as their body size was growing. Adult protoceratopsids were better adapted to feeding on tougher, fibrous vegetation, whereas the young probably selected softer parts.