Description and Classification

Spinops was a plant-eating dinosaur that walked on four legs. It belonged to the Ceratopsidae family, a group known for their horns and large frills at the back of their skulls. More specifically, it was a member of the Centrosaurinae subfamily. Centrosaurines, like Spinops, often had more prominent nasal horns or bosses and relatively shorter, though often more ornate, frills compared to their chasmosaurine relatives such as Triceratops. Scientists estimate that Spinops was a medium-sized ceratopsian, likely reaching around 4.5 to 5.5 meters (15 to 18 feet) in length and weighing about 1.3 to 2 metric tons (1.4 to 2.2 short tons).

The most notable features of Spinops were on its head. It possessed a bony frill at the back of its skull, which was adorned with a unique set of spikes. Two long spikes curved forward from the top edge of its frill, and two smaller spikes pointed downwards and outwards from the sides of the frill. It likely had a modest horn or pronounced bump on its nose and very small, if any, horns above its eyes. Like other ceratopsians, Spinops had a powerful, toothless beak at the front of its mouth, with batteries of shearing teeth further back, suited for cropping tough plant material. Its features show some similarities to other centrosaurines such as Centrosaurus and Styracosaurus, but its specific frill ornamentation was unique.

Distinguishing Features

Spinops can be identified by several key characteristics, primarily related to its skull and frill:

• A large bony frill (parietosquamosal frill) at the back of the skull.
• Two prominent, forward-curving horn-like spikes (epineural ossifications) located on the upper rear margin of its frill.
• Two smaller, downward-and-outward-projecting spikes on the side edges (squamosals) of its frill.
• A relatively modest horn or a prominent boss (bony bump) on its nose.
• Very small or absent horns above the eyes.

Paleoenvironment and Diet

Spinops lived in what is now Alberta, Canada, during the Late Cretaceous period (Campanian stage). The fossils were found in deposits of the Dinosaur Park Formation, which represents a lush, coastal plain environment. This region was characterized by rivers, floodplains, swamps, and forests, with a warm, humid climate. Spinops shared this diverse ecosystem with many other types of dinosaurs, including duck-billed hadrosaurs like Parasaurolophus, fierce carnivorous tyrannosaurids such as Gorgosaurus, armored ankylosaurs, pachycephalosaurs, and various other horned dinosaurs.

As a herbivore, Spinops would have fed on the abundant plant life available in its environment. Its strong beak and cheek teeth were well-suited for processing tough, fibrous plants. Its diet likely consisted of ferns, cycads, conifers, and possibly early flowering plants (angiosperms) that grew relatively close to the ground.

Significance and Ongoing Research

The story of Spinops is notable because its fossils were collected in 1916 by the famous Sternberg fossil hunting family but remained unstudied and unrecognised in the collections of the Natural History Museum in London for nearly a century. Initially, the material was considered too fragmentary or indistinguishable from other known ceratopsians. However, in 2011, a team of paleontologists re-examined these bones—specifically parts of the frill, lower jaw, and limb bones—and determined they belonged to a new and distinct genus and species of horned dinosaur, which they named Spinops sternbergorum.

The formal description of Spinops added another unique member to the diverse family of ceratopsid dinosaurs. It also highlighted the scientific value hidden in existing museum collections and how new analytical approaches can lead to new discoveries. The distinctive frill ornamentation of Spinops contributes to scientists’ understanding of the evolution of display structures in ceratopsians, which were likely used for species recognition, attracting mates, or intimidating rivals rather than primarily for defense. Ongoing research may focus on searching for more complete fossil material of Spinops to better understand its full anatomy, growth, and individual variation. Further study also helps clarify its precise evolutionary relationships with other centrosaurine dinosaurs, such as Centrosaurus, Styracosaurus, and the more recently discovered Wendiceratops, all of which contribute to a richer picture of dinosaur diversity in Late Cretaceous North America.