Spinops Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 1.5m |
| Length | 4.5m |
| Weight | 1.3 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Ceratopsian |
| Location | Canada |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 1.5m |
| Length | 4.5m |
| Weight | 1.3 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Ceratopsian |
| Location | Canada |
Spinops was a distinctive ceratopsian dinosaur that roamed the ancient landscapes of what is now Alberta, Canada, during the Late Cretaceous period around 83.6 million years ago. This medium-sized herbivore measured approximately 4.5 metres in length and weighed about 1.3 tonnes, making it smaller than some of its more famous relatives like Triceratops but still an impressive sight on the prehistoric plains.
What made Spinops truly remarkable was its spectacular head ornamentation. Like other ceratopsians, it possessed a large bony frill extending from the back of its skull, but Spinops took this decoration to extraordinary lengths. Its frill was adorned with numerous tall, spike-like projections that gave the dinosaur its name, meaning 'spine face'. These dramatic spikes likely served multiple purposes, from species recognition and display during mating rituals to intimidating rivals and predators.
As a plant-eater, Spinops used its sharp, parrot-like beak to slice through tough vegetation, whilst rows of cheek teeth ground the plant material into digestible pulp. The dinosaur would have spent much of its day foraging for ferns, cycads, and early flowering plants that grew in the warm, humid climate of Late Cretaceous Alberta. Its four sturdy legs carried its substantial bulk across the landscape as it searched for the best feeding spots.
Spinops lived during a time when Alberta was a coastal plain dotted with rivers and lush forests, sharing its habitat with other ceratopsians, duck-billed hadrosaurs, and fearsome predators like Albertosaurus.
Spinops was characterised by its extraordinary frill decoration, featuring numerous tall, prominent spikes projecting from the rear edge of its bony neck frill. The frill itself was relatively large compared to the animal's body size, and the distinctive spike arrangement gave it a crown-like appearance that made it instantly recognisable among ceratopsians.
Spinops likely lived in herds, using its elaborate frill spikes for visual displays to communicate with other members of its species and establish social hierarchies. During confrontations with rivals or threats, it would have lowered its head to present its impressive array of spikes as a formidable defensive barrier.
Spinops was first described by Andrew Farke and Michael Ryan in 2011. The original fossils were discovered at Oldman Formation, Alberta, Canada.