| Helioceratops Temporal range: Early-Late Cretaceous, | |
|---|---|
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| Restoration | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | † Ornithischia |
| Suborder: | † 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.
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]
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]
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]
Helioceratops was a herbivore. It may have shared its habitat with Changchunsaurus . [1]
Ceratopsia or Ceratopia is a group of herbivorous, beaked dinosaurs that thrived in what are now North America, Europe, and Asia, during the Cretaceous Period, although ancestral forms lived earlier, in the Jurassic. The earliest known ceratopsian, Yinlong downsi, lived between 161.2 and 155.7 million years ago. The last ceratopsian species, Triceratops prorsus, became extinct during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, 66 million years ago.
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.
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.
Micropachycephalosaurus was a monotypic genus of basal ceratopsian dinosaur containing only the type species, Micropachycephalosaurus hongtuyanensis It lived in China during the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) and was found in the Jiangjunding Formation.
Iguanodontidae is a family of iguanodontians belonging to Styracosterna, a derived clade within Ankylopollexia.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Craspedodon is an extinct genus of ornithischian dinosaur, possibly a ceratopsian. It lived during the Late Cretaceous, in what is now Belgium. Only a few teeth have ever been found, which were described as similar to those of Iguanodon. Craspedodon lonzeensis, described by Louis Dollo in 1883, is the type species, although it is considered a nomen dubium since it is based on fragmentary material. It was long thought to be an iguanodontian, but a 2007 restudy suggested that it was actually a neoceratopsian, perhaps closer to Ceratopsoidea than Protoceratopsidae. If the reidentification is correct, Craspedodon would be the first neoceratopsian known from Europe.
Lycorhinus is a genus of heterodontosaurid ornithischian dinosaur from the Early Jurassic strata of the Elliot Formation located in the Cape Province, South Africa.
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.
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.
Cerapoda is a clade of the dinosaur order Ornithischia, that includes pachycephalosaurs, ceratopsians and ornithopods
Hexing is an extinct genus of basal ornithomimosaur dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous of northeastern China. It contains a single species, Hexing qingyi.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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