First Pluto, now Triceratops

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**Ahtman**

Article

Scientists are saying that the Triceratops dinosaur—you know, the three horned one—was actually a juvenile form of a Torosaurus, the three horned dinosaur you don't know. Apparently, dinosaurs' skulls can shape-shift.

The scientists, John Scannella and Jack Horner, believe that the Torosaurus and Triceratops are actually of the same species. According to the them, as a Triceratops aged, its horns and frill became more similar to that of a Torosaurus. Short becomes long, saw-edged becomes smoothed and so on. Having them be the same species would explain why there were never any young Torosaurus fossils discovered.

The duo say there is a clear transition from triceratops into torosaurus as the animals grow older. For example, the oldest specimens of triceratops show a marked thinning of the bone where torosaurus has holes, suggesting they are in the process of becoming fenestrated

Childhood = dead

**Cane**

At least it doesn't have feathers.

**FM Ninja 048**

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

why do they have to try and prove everything wrong, is nothing safe.

next thing you know they'll be saying that the future will never exist.

**Crazy_Carnifex**

Hmmm... Horners actually fairly respectable...

Mostly, it sucks if you liked Torosaurs. Which Ceratopsian do you think will end up being remembered?

P.S. That is one big baby.

**George Spiggott**

Why is it always the cool famous dinosaurs that turnout to not be actual dinosaur species?

**Kanluwen**

I love that they used an image from that "Carnivores" game from years upon years back, wherein some company had genetically engineered dinosaurs and had set up game reserves on other planets.

However, I do think this needs to be commemorated with a t-shirt much like the one I have for Pluto.

**dogma**

There's a fat joke in there, I'm sure of it.

**Phryxis**

I was always a fan of the triceratops.

But I'm a bit confused. I thought they were big, big boys? Is the torosaurus that much bigger?

(Obviously it is, but that's crazy).

**Kanluwen**

dogma wrote:There's a fat joke in there, I'm sure of it.

Oh definitely. But it's still a fantastic astronomy joke first

**Wrexasaur**

Not to be a bother or anything, but the Triceratops always seemed to be among the least fashionable of the Ceratopsians.

BTW, the original article is MUCH better, and not full of lies. LIES AND BLASPHEMY.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727713.500-morphosaurs-how-shapeshifting-dinosaurs-deceived-us.html

Read this instead.

It was already known that triceratops skulls changed throughout their development, but not that the final result was a torosaurus.
Torosaurus will now be abolished as a species and specimens reassigned to Triceratops, says Horner.

**Shadowbrand**

I am a sad, sad Shadowbrand.

**garret**

Why is everyone sad? I dont get it i loved dinos too but im not sad. Besides look at the comparsion. it does look juvnile.

**Phryxis**

The pachyrhinosaurus looks like the middle child, who had to get crazy facial mods in order to assure itself that it was unique and special.

**halonachos**

What next, the velociraptor is a juvenile tyrannosaurus rex?

The sun isn't a star?

Cheer leading isn't a sport?

Wait, what?

Oh really?

Wow.

Ladies and gentlemen the federal government has officially ruled that cheerleading is not a sport.

**Soladrin**

halonachos wrote:
Ladies and gentlemen the federal government has officially ruled that cheerleading is not a sport.

Good.

And who cares, no ones touching the ankylosaurus, that thing owns all.

**SagesStone**

**Boss 'eadbreaka**

I can only say one thing on the topic-
HERESY!!!

**Tim the Biovore**

My life....in ruins. FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

Soladrin wrote:And who cares, no ones touching the ankylosaurus, that thing owns all.

Yeah. This makes me slightly happier.

**kronk**

halonachos wrote:What next, the velociraptor is a juvenile tyrannosaurus rex?

You aren't too far off...

From that second article.

On top of that, a dinosaur called Nanotyrannus has been tentatively reclassified as a juvenile form of Tyrannosaurus rex.

**Frazzled**

Well I could have told you that. Miniature Trex? nuts!

**Tim the Biovore**

The destruction of his childhood has left Tim confused. And Tim hates being confused. Now Tim is angry. You won't like him when he is angry.

**Wrexasaur**

Phryxis wrote:The pachyrhinosaurus looks like the middle child, who had to get crazy facial mods in order to assure itself that it was unique and special.

I'm not so sure about that, the whole family looks pretty special to me.

http://www.terakoshi.com/news/gashuEn.html

Here is a pretty awesome gallery. It is really strange to think about, as most of the fancy horns most likely had little to do with anything besides presentation.

http://www.terakoshi.com/item/dino&extinct/dinoEn-html/03-05220En.html

Click to the right, there are a ton of great illustrations.

**Regwon**

Read the actual new scientist article. What is actually happening is that the species of Torosaurus is being abolished and merged with triceratops. So triceratops will still exist.

**Alpharius**

So, it appears that 'lots of downtime' continues to be a perk in the Paleontology world!

The parties they must have with the Astronomers... wow!

**Platuan4th**

Whatever will we tell the Dinobots?! That 2 of their members aren't what they thought they were?

And that Grimlock has horrendous posture?

**Soup and a roll**

Wrexasaur wrote:
It was already known that triceratops skulls changed throughout their development, but not that the final result was a torosaurus.
Torosaurus will now be abolished as a species and specimens reassigned to Triceratops, says Horner.

Thanks the Dino-gods for that. I don't think I could have gotton out of bed in mornings knowing Triceratops never existed.

**Tyyr**

Wrexasaur wrote:
It was already known that triceratops skulls changed throughout their development, but not that the final result was a torosaurus.
Torosaurus will now be abolished as a species and specimens reassigned to Triceratops, says Horner.

melon-fether!

Damn it to hell! Torosaurus was my favorite ceratopsin.

**Samus_aran115**

My childhood is ruined. Can't they just call everything a three horn?

**Golden Eyed Scout**

Samus_aran115 wrote:My childhood is ruined. Can't they just call everything a three horn?

LOL. Great reference. Too bad they killed hte series by making a thousand movies of it.

**Nurglitch**

As opposed to prolonging the life of the series by not making any more?