Psittacosaurus

dinosaur · early cretaceous · asia · smart brain

Parrot-like beak. Psittacosaurus had a strong, curved beak similar to a parrot's, which it probably used to crack open tough plants and seeds.

Two-legged walker. Unlike many dinosaurs, adult Psittacosaurus stood and walked on just two back legs, holding its long tail out behind for balance.

Champion of many species. Psittacosaurus holds the record as the dinosaur genus with the most different species, with up to 13 kinds found across China, Mongolia, Russia, and Thailand.

Fuzzy tail strands. One fossils shows that Psittacosaurus had long, thin filaments on its tail, much like feathers, that may have helped it look impressive or stay warm.

Clever dinosaur. Psittacosaurus had a relatively large brain compared to its body size, which suggests it was probably alert and quick-thinking with sharp senses for seeing and smelling.