 The epoccipital is a distinctive bones found lining the frills of ceratopsians . The name is a misnomer , as they are not associated with the occipital bone . Epoccipitals begin as separate bones that fuse during the animal 's growth to either the squamosal or parietal bones that make up the base of the frill . These bones were ornamental instead of functional , and may have helped differentiate species . Epoccipitals probably were present in all known ceratopsids with the possible exception of Zuniceratops . They appear to have been broadly different between short @-@ frilled ceratopsids ( centrosaurines ) and long @-@ frilled ceratopsids ( chasmosaurines ) , being elliptical with constricted bases in the former group , and triangular with wide bases in the latter group . Within these broad definitions , different species would have somewhat different shapes and numbers . In centrosaurines especially , like Centrosaurus , Pachyrhinosaurus , and Styracosaurus , these bones become long and spike- or hook @-@ like . A well @-@ known example is the coarse sawtooth fringe of broad triangular epoccipitals on the frill of Triceratops . When regarding the ossification 's morphogenetic traits , it can be described as dermal . The term epoccipital was coined by famous paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in 1889 . 
 The epoccipital <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>a distinctive bones found lining the frills of ceratopsians . The name <a href='drop_aux' title='2'><mark>is</mark></a>a misnomer , as they are not associated with the occipital bone . Epoccipitals begin as separate bones that fuse during the animal <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>growth to either the squamosal or parietal bones <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>that</mark></a>make up the base of the frill . These bones <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> ornamental instead of functional , and may <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>have</mark></a> helped differentiate species . Epoccipitals probably <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> present in all known ceratopsids with the possible exception of Zuniceratops . They appear to have been broadly different between short @-@ frilled ceratopsids ( centrosaurines ) and long @-@ frilled ceratopsids ( chasmosaurines ) , being elliptical with constricted bases in the former group , and triangular with wide bases in the latter group . Within these broad definitions , different species would have somewhat different shapes and numbers . In centrosaurines especially , like Centrosaurus , Pachyrhinosaurus , and Styracosaurus , these bones become long and spike- or hook @-@ like . A well @-@ known example <a href='drop_aux' title='8'><mark>is</mark></a>the coarse sawtooth fringe of broad triangular epoccipitals on the frill of Triceratops . When regarding the ossification <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>morphogenetic traits , it can be described as dermal . The term epoccipital was coined by famous paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in 1889 . 
The epoccipital a distinctive bones found lining da frills of ceratopsians . The name a misnomer , as they ain't associated with the occipital bone . Epoccipitals begin as separate bones dat fuse durin the animal  growth to either tdasquamosal or parietal bones make up the base of thdarill . These bones was ornamental instead of functional , and may done helped differentiate species . Epoccipitals probably was present in alll known ceratopsids w/ thedassible exception of Zuniceratops . They appear to have been broadly different between short @-@ frilled ceratopsids ( centrosaurines ) and long @-@ frilled ceratopsids ( chasmosaurines ) , being elliptical with constricted bases in the damer group , and triangular wiwittide bases in the ldaer group . Within dem broad definitions , different species would have somewhat different shapes and numbers . In centrosaurines especially , like Centrosaurus , Pachyrhinosaurus , and Styracosaurus , thdeseones become long and spike- or hook @-@ like . A well @-@ known example the coarse sawtooth fringe of broad triangular epoccipitals on the frda of Triceratops . When regarding the ossification  morphogenetic traits , it can b described as dermal . The term epoccipital was coined by famous paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in 1889 .