Kalmar "genus Protoceratops" tana nufin rukuni na dinosaurs masu tsire-tsire waɗanda suka rayu a lokacin Late Cretaceous. Protoceratops na dangin Protoceratopsidae ne, waɗanda aka siffanta da ƙananan girmansu, muƙamuƙi masu kama da baki, da fitattun frills akan kwanyarsu. Sunan "Protoceratops" ya fito ne daga kalmomin Helenanci "protos," ma'anar "farko," da "keratops," ma'ana "fuskar ƙaho," yana nufin sifofin ceratopsian na dabba. An gano burbushin halittu na Protoceratops a Mongoliya da China, kuma an yi imanin cewa sun kasance tushen abinci mai mahimmanci ga dinosaurs masu cin nama irin su Velociraptor.