Despite its name, Pentaceratops (“five-horned face”) only had three main facial horns just like most other ceratopsids. The extra two “horns” actually refer to the cheek spikes which protruded out sideways from its face – a feature seen in all ceratopsids to some degree, but especially long and sharply pointed in Pentaceratops.
Living about 76-73 million years ago, its fossils are known from New Mexico and Colorado, USA. A possible second species, P. aquilonius, was discovered much farther north in Alberta, Canada, but this identification is somewhat dubious due to the remains being highly fragmentary.
Multiple specimens have been found, with a full body length of around 5-6m (16’4″-19’8”). One especially large specimen previously identified as Pentaceratops was nearly 7m long (23′), but has since been moved into its own separate genus Titanoceratops.
Pentaceratops’ frill was one of the largest of all known ceratopsids, similar in size and shape to that of its close relative Utahceratops, with a U-shaped top edge and a pair of forward-curving spikes.