Cretaceous
Psittacosaurus
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis
The catalogue presents Psittacosaurus as a herbivore member of Psittacosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 126.0–101.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 1.5–2.0 m in length and 20–40 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Oshih Formation, Mongolia. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Psittacosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Osborn (1923).
The PBDB places it in Ceratopsia, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Psittacosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Psittacosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Valanginian to the Albian.
The PBDB catalogues 14 occurrences, with material from the Öösh Formation (4), from the Lisangou Formation (2) and from the Döshuul Formation (1). Provenance: China and Mongolia.
The catalogue records the holotype as AMNH 6254 and the type locality as “Oshih Formation, Mongolia”.
- AMNH 6254
- Oshih Formation, Mongolia
The catalogue's reference measurements are 1.5–2.0 m in length and 20–40 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 1.5-2.0 m
- 20-40 kg
The record gathers 85 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 1.5–2.0 m
- Weight
- 20–40 kg
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 126.0–101.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1923
- Described by
- Henry Fairfield Osborn
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Ornithischia
- Family
- Psittacosauridae
- Genus
- Psittacosaurus
- Species
- P. mongoliensis
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- AMNH 6254
- Type locality
- Oshih Formation, Mongolia