Triceratops InGen File
Real-world Information
One of the most famous dinosaurs of all time, Triceratops lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous. It was one of the last new dinosaur genera to evolve before the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. They were mostly or completely herbivorous, and fed mainly on palms, cycads and ferns.
When fully grown, Triceratops measured around 8 metres in length and weighed an estimated 6-8 tons.
As with all ceratopsian dinosaurs, the purpose of the horns and frill is something of a mystery. Triceratops in particular is unusual in that its frill does not have a pair of openings on it. Palaeontologist Jack Horner has suggested that the frill may have been covered in keratin, perhaps brightly coloured. In which case it would probably have been used for display.
It's possible that they may have used their long brow horns for defense, and in territorial battles (the frills of some individuals show signs of having scraped against the horns of other Triceratops). A Triceratops horn was found with a healed bite mark from a Tyrannosaurus rex, indicating that these large ceratopsians may have been on the giant theropod's menu.
However, they couldn't charge head-on at full speed like modern rhinos, as the snouts of their skulls were too lightly built to survive the impact.
A mummified Triceratops, nicknamed "Lane", was discovered in 2012. This specimen's skin was mostly covered in a mosaic of polygonal scales, but with an almost crocodile-like texture on the underside of the body, and bizarre, knoblike protrusions near the rear of the body. These knobs have been speculated by some to be the attachment points for long quills.
JP Information
Triceratops is a herding animal that lives in family groups of around 5 - 15 individuals led by an adult female matriarch. Triceratops spends most of its time grazing on ferns, cycads, and other low-growing plants, and it is especially fond of banana leaves.
Like elephants, Triceratops tend to live in lush regions.
In order to house Triceratops, you will need a large area with a mix of open ground, forest, and swampy water (these dinosaurs are excellent swimmers, and love to wallow in mud). They are very strong, very protective, very bad-tempered animals, and will need similarly secure fencing to that of an elephant enclosure. Also note that Triceratops do not appreciate loud noises and other major disturbances, and can easily be provoked!
In-game Information
Triceratops is a usually docile herbivore, but should it be attacked, it will deal an intimidating 16 HP of damage, and they aren't exactly the easiest to kill with 70 HP of health. Triceratops will wander around the world, and will occasionally flock in groups of 2-15. When one is attacked, the others will instantly rush in to defend, although a lone Triceratops may choose to flee, a difficult task since they aren't as fast as their vicious predators, such as Tyrannosaurus or a notably strong or large pack of Velociraptors! When hungry, Triceratops can eat on grass and plants, and feed off of feeders. When thirsty, Triceratops can drink water from a nearby source or from the rain. They are diurnal dinosaurs, and will sleep during the night and reawaken during the day. Male and female Triceratops will breed every now and then, laying 2-6 eggs per clutch. Triceratops is an imprintable species (see: Taming), and a tamed individual will defend you if you are attacked, and will also attack on command.