Helioceratops

Last updated

Helioceratops
Temporal range: Early-Late Cretaceous, Aptian–Cenomanian
Helioceratops.jpg
Restoration
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Ornithischia
Clade: Neornithischia
Clade: Ceratopsia
Family: Archaeoceratopsidae
Genus: Helioceratops
Jin L. et al., 2009
Species:
H. brachygnathus
Binomial name
Helioceratops brachygnathus
Jin L. et al., 2009

Helioceratops is a genus of herbivorous neoceratopsian dinosaur from the Middle Cretaceous of China.

Contents

Discovery and naming

In 2000 and 2002, at the Liufangzi site of China's eastern Jilin province, excavations took place during which the jaws were found of a ceratopsian new to science. [1]

The type species Helioceratops brachygnathus was named and described in 2009 by Jin Liyong, Chen Jun, Zan Shuqin and Pascal Godefroit. The generic name means "sun horned face" from the Greek helios, "sun", keras, "horn" and ops, "face". The reference is that the Sun rises in the East and ceratopsians also "rose" in the East; i.e. they originated in the Orient. The name also refers to a close relationship with Auroraceratops , the "dawn ceratopian". The specific name means "short jaw" from the Greek βραχύς, brachys and γνάθος, gnathos, in reference to the distinguishing short lower jaw. [2]

Helioceratops was discovered in a layer of the Quantou Formation, dating from the Albian-Cenomanian at the boundary between the Early Cretaceous and the Late Cretaceous, about a hundred million years old. It is known from its holotype JLUM L0204-Y-3, a dentary of the right lower jaw. The paratype is specimen JLUM L0204-Y-4, a left maxilla of the upper jaw. Both fossils were discovered at a close distance from each other and indicate animals of about the same size; however, it could not be proven they belonged to a single individual. [1]

Description

Helioceratops was a relatively small animal. In 2010, Gregory S. Paul estimated a length of 1.3 m (4.3 ft) and a weight of twenty kilogrammes. [3]

The describing authors established three distinguishing traits. They are autapomorphies, unique derived qualities, in this case relative to all other neoceratopsians. The ramus or horizontal branch of the dentary is deep and short, the tooth row being but 60% longer than its maximal height. The facet of the front dentary contacting the lower process of the predentary is steeply inclined under an angle of 130° with the underside edge of the dentary. On the lower jaw teeth, the denticles and secondary vertical ridges are grouped asymmetrically relative to the primary ridge, with up to nine secondary ridges in front (mesial) of the main ridge and four secondary rides at it rear (distal). [1]

The number of teeth in the upper jaws is unknown. The lower jaws bear ten to eleven teeth. Their front teeth are relatively small, with a triangular cross-section. The rear teeth are larger and ovate in section, a derived trait. [1]

Phylogeny

Helioceratops was placed in the Neoceratopsia, in a moderately basal position, outside of the Coronosauria. Its close relationship to the latter clade would indicate its origin in Asia. [1]

Paleoecology

Helioceratops was a herbivore. It may have shared its habitat with Changchunsaurus . [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Archaeoceratops</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Archaeoceratops, meaning "ancient horned face", is a genus of basal neoceratopsian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of north central China. It appears to have been bipedal and quite small, reaching 0.9 m (3.0 ft) in length and 10 kg (22 lb) in body mass. It had a comparatively large head but no horns, possessing only a small bony frill projecting from the back of its head.

<i>Leptoceratops</i> Extinct genus of ceratopsian dinosaur

Leptoceratops is a genus of leptoceratopsid ceratopsian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of North America. First found in Alberta in 1910, the type species Leptoceratops gracilis was named in 1914 by Barnum Brown for a partial skull and skeleton of two individuals found in the Scollard Formation. Additional specimens found in the Scollard include a fully complete skeleton and two other very complete individuals alongside it, uncovered in 1947 by Charles M. Sternberg. Specimens from Montana that were among some of the earliest material referred to Leptoceratops have since been moved to their own genera Montanoceratops and Cerasinops, while new material including bonebed remains from the Hell Creek Formation of Montana, and a partial skeleton from the Lance Formation of Wyoming, have been referred to L. gracilis. Combined, Leptoceratops is known from more than ten individuals all from the Maastrichtian deposits of Alberta, Montana and Wyoming, with the complete skeleton represented.

<i>Harpymimus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Harpymimus is a basal ornithomimosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period of what is now Mongolia. Unlike later, more derived ornithomimosaurs, Harpymimus still possessed teeth, although they appear to have been restricted to the dentary of the lower jaw.

<i>Micropachycephalosaurus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Micropachycephalosaurus is an extinct genus of basal marginocephalian dinosaur containing only the type species, Micropachycephalosaurus hongtuyanensis. It lived in China during the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) and was found in the Jiangjunding Formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iguanodontidae</span> Extinct family of dinosaurs

Iguanodontidae is a family of iguanodontians belonging to Styracosterna, a derived clade within Ankylopollexia.

<i>Chaoyangsaurus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Chaoyangsaurus is a marginocephalian dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of China. It has been dated to between 150.8 and 145.5 million years ago. Chaoyangsaurus belonged to the Ceratopsia. Chaoyangsaurus, like all ceratopsians, was primarily a herbivore.

<i>Stenopelix</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Stenopelix is a genus of small marginocephalian dinosaur, possibly a basal ceratopsian, from the Early Cretaceous of Germany. It lived in the late Berriasian Stage of the Cretaceous period, approximately 140 myr ago. The genus is based on a partial skeleton lacking the skull, and its classification is based on characteristics of the hips.

<i>Charonosaurus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Charonosaurus is a genus of dinosaur whose fossils were discovered by Godefroit, Zan & Jin in 2000, on the south bank of the Amur River, dividing China from Russia. It is monotypic, consisting of the species C. jiayinensis.

<i>Xuanhuaceratops</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Xuanhuaceratops is a genus of dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Period. The genus was in 2006 dated to the Tithonian, 150.8-145.5 million years ago. A member of the family Chaoyangsauridae, it was one of the earliest ceratopsians. The fossils were found in the Houcheng Formation of Hebei Province, northeastern China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neornithischia</span> Extinct clade of dinosaurs

Neornithischia is a clade of the dinosaur order Ornithischia. It is the sister group of the Thyreophora within the clade Genasauria. Neornithischians are united by having a thicker layer of asymmetrical enamel on the inside of their lower teeth. The teeth wore unevenly with chewing and developed sharp ridges that allowed neornithischians to break down tougher plant food than other dinosaurs. Neornithischians include a variety of basal forms historically known as "hypsilophodonts", including the Parksosauridae; in addition, there are derived forms classified in the groups Marginocephalia and Ornithopoda. The former includes clades Pachycephalosauria and Ceratopsia, while the latter typically includes Hypsilophodon and the more derived Iguanodontia.

<i>Changchunsaurus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Changchunsaurus is an extinct genus of small herbivorous dinosaur from Early Cretaceous deposits of Gongzhuling, Jilin, China. It is the first named dinosaur genus from Jilin.

<i>Craspedodon</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Craspedodon is an extinct genus of ceratopsian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Glauconie de Lonzée Formation of Belgium. Only a single species, C. lonzeensis, is known.

<i>Lycorhinus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaur from the early Jurassic of South Africa

Lycorhinus is a genus of heterodontosaurid ornithischian dinosaur from the Early Jurassic strata of the Elliot Formation located in the Cape Province, South Africa.

<i>Fruitadens</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Fruitadens is a genus of heterodontosaurid dinosaur. The name means "Fruita teeth", in reference to Fruita, Colorado (USA), where its fossils were first found. It is known from partial skulls and skeletons from at least four individuals of differing biological ages, found in Tithonian rocks of the Morrison Formation in Colorado. Fruitadens is one of the smallest known ornithischian dinosaur, with young adults estimated at 65 to 75 cm in length and 0.5 to 0.75 kg in weight. It is interpreted as an omnivore and represents one of the latest-surviving heterodontosaurids.

<i>Bolong</i> Genus of reptiles (fossil)

Bolong is a genus of iguanodontian dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous-age Yixian Formation of western Liaoning Province, China. It lived about 125 million years ago in the earliest Aptian.

Hexing is an extinct genus of basal ornithomimosaur dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous of northeastern China. It contains a single species, Hexing qingyi.

<i>Aquilops</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Aquilops is an early herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur dating from the Early Cretaceous of North America, approximately 109 million to 104 million years ago. The type species is A. americanus.

<i>Mosaiceratops</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Mosaiceratops is a genus of ceratopsian, described by Zheng, Jin & Xu in 2015 and found in the Xiaguan Formation of Neixiang County. Mosaiceratops lived in the upper Cretaceous in what is now the Henan Province of China.

<i>Hualianceratops</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Hualianceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur that lived about 160 million years ago in the Late Jurassic epoch in what is now western China. The single species, H. wucaiwanensis was described in 2015. Its size has been compared to that of a spaniel.

<i>Changmiania</i> Genus of reptiles (fossil)

Changmiania is a genus of basal ornithopod dinosaur that lived in what is now China during the Early Cretaceous. It contains a single species, Changmiania liaoningensis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jin Liyong; Chen Jun, Zan Shuqin and Pascal Godefroit; Zan, Shuqin; Godefroit, Pascal (2009). "A New Basal Neoceratopsian Dinosaur from the Middle Cretaceous of Jilin Province, China". Acta Geologica Sinica. 83 (2): 200. Bibcode:2009AcGlS..83..200J. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2009.00023.x.
  2. Atkinson, L. "HELIOCERATOPS :: from DinoChecker's dinosaur archive". ‹http://www.dinochecker.com/dinosaurs/HELIOCERATOPS Web access: 01st Aug 2020
  3. Paul, Gregory S. The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs. Princeton University Press, 2010