| I've seen my fair share of ceratopsids, but not many of them compare to the Microceratus. Admittedly, yeah, there's a bit of a clue in the name, but I really didn't realize just how small they are. With that said, they may well be cute, but that doesn't mean they're mute! Because they're certainly... how shall I put this... 'communicative' little critters. |
Microceratus is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur in Jurassic World Evolution 2. One of the smallest dinosaurs known and originating from Late Cretaceous Asia, it is part of the Park Managers' Collection Pack DLC.
History[]
Microceratus was planned by InGen as an attraction in Jurassic Park on Isla Nublar, with 22 individuals being successfully cloned on Isla Sorna.[1] Microceratus was later cloned by InGen for Jurassic World on Isla Nublar, where it lived alongside a selection of herbivorous dinosaurs in the Cretaceous Cruise area of the island. After the park was abandoned in 2015, surviving populations of Microceratus were still extant on Nublar as of 2018.[1]
Many Microceratus were successfully transported from the now-destroyed Nublar to the Lockwood Estate in northern California, where they and the other dinosaurs were intended to be auctioned off on the black market. However, Claire Dearing and Owen Grady managed to put an end to the auction, and the surviving dinosaurs, including several Microceratus were released into the wilds of northern California. Four years after the incident in Lockwood Manor, several Microceratus roamed the wilderness freely, with three being captured and displayed at the illegal Amber Clave Market of Valletta, Malta.[2]
Characteristics[]
Easily recognized thanks to its blunt beak, the small horn on its forehead, and a distinctive frill (its name directly translate into English as "Small Horned"), Microceratus is a herbivorous dinosaur that lived around 68ā65 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Measuring up to 80 centimeters in length ā making it the smallest ceratopsian and one of the smallest dinosaurs the world has ever seen ā this genus walks on two legs and moves with agility and speed to avoid predators. This fascinating little herbivore also likes to live in larger groups of their own species. There are two base colors of Microceratus ā one is blue with a light-blue underbelly and a spotted pattern across its body; the other has a red head and top leading into a yellow body with large, horizontal stripes running down its legs and tail.
Gameplay[]
Behavior[]
Paleontology[]
Microceratus was first discovered in 1953 by Anders Birger Bohlin during exploration of the Gobi desert in Inner Mongolia ā although it was originally called Microceratops. A full 55 years later in 2008, it was later revealed that the name Microceratops was already attributed to a genus wasp. The new name, Microceratus, was coined by Portuguese paleontologist Octavio Mateus. Measuring at just two feet in length and weighing around twenty pounds, Microceratus is among the smallest dinosaurs, let alone the smallest ceratopsian dinosaur by far, ever discovered.
Paleoecology[]
Among the first ceratopsians in Mongolia along with Psittacosaurus, Microceratus lived in the woodlands of Asia during the Late Cretaceous period 90ā66 million years ago, feeding on plants and sticking to heavily wooded areas to hide from predators, such as Velociraptor. Due to its small stature ā the genus measures only two feet long and weighs 22 pounds at maximum ā Microceratus was extremely prone to attack, relying on its high speed to keep itself safe.
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
The Microceratus first appeared in the 1990 novel Jurassic Park, where it was a free-roaming addition to the Isla Nublar park.
References[]
- ā 1.0 1.1 What Killed the Gene Guard Act?. (February 23, 2018). Dinosaur Protection Group. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ā Trevorrow, Colin. (Director). (2022). Jurassic World Dominion [Film]. Universal Pictures.
External links[]
- Microceratus on Wikipedia
