Leptoceratops gracilis

Coloration:
Male – Pale yellow color, with bright yellow back and brown spotting on the flanks.

Female and juvenile (both sexes) – Pale yellow body.

Diet:
Mostly low-growing vegetation. Roots and tubers take up a large part of Leptoceratops’ diet, but it will also eat grasses, ferns, fungi, woody vegetation, berries and fruit. Leptoceratops may be classed as an omnivore, as it will consume insects, molluscs, eggs, small vertebrates and carrion.

Preferred Habitat:
Heavily-forested terrain, which gives Leptoceratops extra cover from predators. The animal prefers areas near water.

Social Structure:
Loose feeding groups that are not true “herd” structures, as individuals will readily separate to join other feeding groups. These groups consist of a dominant male, several subordinate males, females and young.

Description:
Small quadrupedal herbivore. This small, stout, hornless ceratopsian has a sharp, curved beak, a slender body, short forelimbs, a short deep tail, and a small bony shelf projecting from the back of the head, serving as the frill. The animal is capable of walking on its hind limbs as well as all fours, although it walks on all fours the majority of the time.

Behaviors:
Like Dryosaurus, Leptoceratops is a common small herbivore species that is prey for many of Isla Sorna’s small to medium-sized carnivores. It is a normally docile animal, although it is  quite brave for its size and will attempt to defend itself against small predators by snorting, stamping its feet, and using its head as a  battering ram. It also has powerful jaws and a sharp beak, which can deliver a painful, crushing bite. When faced with larger predators Leptoceratops will flee, often diving into water to escape its pursuer. It is quite a good swimmer, but it cannot hold its breath for long.

The animal’s teeth both shear and crush, enabling Leptoceratops to chew extremely tough plant matter. It is a good digger, using its sharp beak and its strong limbs to dig into the earth to reach roots and tubers, as well as small animals. It will also dig burrows in which to nest and raise its young.

Leptoceratops is known for its distinctive meowing calls, which are interspersed with indistinct grumbles, grunts, and snorts. Males compete for females by using their heads to batter one another into submission.