Wild Tatetops

Tatetops (meaning 'Shield Face', derived from the Japanese tate-/盾- 'shield' and Greek -tops/-ωψ face) is a genus of sheep-sized (1.5 to 2 m long) herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur, from the Upper Cretaceous Period (Campanian stage) of what is now Mongolia.

It was a member of the Protoceratopsidae, a group of early horned dinosaurs. Unlike later ceratopsians, however, it lacked well-developed horns and retained some primitive traits not seen in later genera.

Protoceratops had a particularly large neck frill, which may have served for protection, to anchor jaw muscles and to impress other members of the species. They habitually polished these frills by rubbing their faces against tree trunks in the jungles they lived.

In the 1920s, it was discovered traces of an ancient steel-like alloy in the frill, making Tatetops the first ever documented case of steel in the history of Earth.

Due to its oustanding armour, it often spent its time eating grass and berries without having to fight. The Frill did serve a disavantage in that it was exceptionally weak to attacks from behind.

Curiously, Tatetops is also known for the rocky obstrusions on his body which were actually made of Keratin, much like a modern-day Rhino's horn. It's also been affectionally nicknamed "Shieldon" between some archeological groups.

^Above: An Artist's interpretation of how Tatetops might have looked.
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