Vagaceratops is an extinct type of dinosaur. It lived during the Late Cretaceous period, around 76 million years ago, in what is now Alberta, Canada.
Vagaceratops was a plant-eater, belonging to a group of dinosaurs known as ceratopsians. This group includes the famous Triceratops. Vagaceratops specifically is part of a group called Chasmosaurinae.
This dinosaur was medium-sized, around 15 feet long and weighing about 1.3 tons. Fossils from Vagaceratops primarily include three skulls. It had a parrot-like beak, a large neck frill, and a nasal horn, which are common features of its family.
However, Vagaceratops had some unique characteristics. Its brow horns were smaller than those of similar dinosaurs, and it had a larger snout. The frill at the back of its head was quite different, being shorter and more square-shaped.
The name Vagaceratops means “wandering horned face,” linking it to another dinosaur called Kosmoceratops found in Utah.
In 2010, paleontologists, including Scott D. Sampson, officially named Vagaceratops. Before that, it was classified under a different genus called Chasmosaurus. Scientists still debate how closely Vagaceratops is related to other ceratopsians, but many consider it similar to Kosmoceratops.
Vagaceratops is a special part of the story of dinosaur discovery, showing how new findings can change how we understand these ancient creatures.