Timeline of ceratopsian research

Last updated

Skeletal mount of Titanoceratops Titanoceratops.jpg
Skeletal mount of Titanoceratops

This timeline of ceratopsian research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the ceratopsians, a group of herbivorous marginocephalian dinosaurs that evolved parrot-like beaks, bony frills, and, later, spectacular horns. The first scientifically documented ceratopsian fossils were described by Edward Drinker Cope starting in the 1870s; however, the remains were poorly preserved and their true nature was not recognized. Over the next several decades, Cope named several such genera and species. Cope's hated rival, Othniel Charles Marsh, also described ceratopsian remains. In 1887, Marsh mistook a Triceratops horn for one belonging to a new species of prehistoric Bison . [1] Marsh also named the eponymous genus Ceratops in 1888. [2] The next year, he named the most famous ceratopsian, Triceratops horridus . It was the discovery of Triceratops that illuminated the ceratopsian body plan, [1] and he formally named the Ceratopsia in 1890. [3]

Contents

The early 20th century was a fruitful time for ceratopsian research. In 1907, Hatcher and others published a monograph on ceratopsid anatomy that is still considered the single most significant publication on the topic to date. [1] Many new species were being described, including Centrosaurus , Styracosaurus , and Chasmosaurus . [4] Not long after, the Central Asiatic Expedition led by Roy Chapman Andrews of the American Museum of Natural History discovered the primitive ceratopsians Psittacosaurus and Protoceratops in Mongolia. Protoceratops gained notoriety as the supposed parent of the first fossil dinosaur eggs known to science. [5] One of these supposed Protoceratops nests preserved the skeleton of a new kind of theropod dinosaur, Oviraptor . It was thought to have been preserved after being killed in the act of raiding the Protoceratops nest. This narrative would last until the 1990s, when the "Protoceratops" eggs were determined to belong to Oviraptor itself. [6]

Throughout the rest of the century, paleontologists would be occupied with several controversies regarding ceratopsian paleobiology. One concerned the stance of the ceratopsid forelimbs. When Marsh first reconstructed the ceratopsid forelimb, he portrayed it in an erect posture. However, when later researchers like Sternberg and Osborn tried to mount the skeletons, they found that the forelimb bones apparently sprawled despite the hindlimbs standing straight up and down. Later researchers like Robert T. Bakker and Gregory S. Paul attempted to revive the erect reconstruction, but continuing research in the 1990s by researchers like John Ostrom, Peter Dodson, and James Farlow found an intermediate value to be better supported. [7]

The original use of the ceratopsids' horns and frills was another long-running controversy in ceratopsian paleontology. Early researchers like Richard Swann Lull thought that bony frills served as the attachment site for enlarged jaw muscles. This explanation was followed by researchers like Russell, Haas, and Ostrom. Sternberg thought the horns of ceratopsians helped defend against predators. In 1961, Davitashvili proposed that ceratopsids used their horns and frills to compete over mates. Farlow and Dodson arrived at the same conclusion in the 1970s, and were followed by Ralph Molnar. Ostrom, who had previously followed the jaw musculature interpretation, came to support this view in 1986. The idea gained further support in the 1990s from researchers like Forster and Sampson. [8]

19th century

1870s

Charles Knight's restoration of "Agathaumas sphenocerus" (a dubious species originally described as Monoclonius sphenocerus) Agathaumas.jpg
Charles Knight's restoration of " Agathaumas sphenocerus " (a dubious species originally described as Monoclonius sphenocerus )

1872

1876

1878

1880s

Marsh's reconstruction of Triceratops Triceratops prorsus old.jpg
Marsh's reconstruction of Triceratops

1887

1888

1889

1890s

1890

Skull from the type specimen of Torosaurus (top). Skull of a young adult below. Torosaurus.tif
Skull from the type specimen of Torosaurus (top). Skull of a young adult below.

1891

1896

1898

20th century

1900s

Centrosaurus apertus specimen ROM 767 on exhibit in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada Centrosaurus apertus skull and jaws, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada, Late Cretaceous - Royal Ontario Museum - DSC00078.JPG
Centrosaurus apertus specimen ROM 767 on exhibit in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada

1901

1902

1904

1905

1907

1908

1910s

Holotype skeleton of Styracosaurus albertensis Styracosaurus body.jpg
Holotype skeleton of Styracosaurus albertensis

1910

1913

1914

Artist's restoration of Leptoceratops Leptoceratops BW.jpg
Artist's restoration of Leptoceratops
G. F. Sternberg preparing the skull of Chasmosaurus belli Hunting dinosaurs in the bad lands of the Red Deer River, Alberta, Canada; a sequel to The life of a fossil hunter (1917) (20765045131).jpg
G. F. Sternberg preparing the skull of Chasmosaurus belli

1915

1917

1918

1920s

Skeletal reconstruction of Pentaceratops Pentaceratops sternbergii.jpg
Skeletal reconstruction of Pentaceratops

1922

1923

Skeletal reconstruction of two Protoceratops and a nest Protoceratops andrewsi - AMNH - DSC06314.JPG
Skeletal reconstruction of two Protoceratops and a nest

1924

1925

Skull of Anchiceratops Anchiceratops.png
Skull of Anchiceratops

1928

1927

1929

1930s

Henry Fairfield Osborn lent his support to reconstructing Triceratops with sprawling forelimbs. 2007 0127 Science Museum 0042.JPG
Henry Fairfield Osborn lent his support to reconstructing Triceratops with sprawling forelimbs.

1930

1931

1933

Skeleton of Styracosaurus "parksi" Styracosaurus skeleton AMNH5372.jpg
Skeleton of Styracosaurus "parksi"

1935

1937

1940s

Skeletal mount of Chasmosaurus russelli Royal Tyrell Chasmosaurus russelli.jpg
Skeletal mount of Chasmosaurus russelli

1940

1942

1946

1947

1949

1950s

Pachyrhinosaurus canadensis skull on display at the Royal Tyrrell Museum Pachyrhinosaurus.jpg
Pachyrhinosaurus canadensis skull on display at the Royal Tyrrell Museum

1950

1951

1953

1955

1958

1959

1960s

Davitashvili and others have argued that ceratopsids used their spectacular horns and frills in competitions over mates. Ceratopsidae skull comparison (not in scale).jpg
Davitashvili and others have argued that ceratopsids used their spectacular horns and frills in competitions over mates.

1960

1961

1962

1964:

1966

1967

1969

1970s

The fighting dinosaurs specimen of Protoceratops and Velociraptor Fighting dinosaurs (1).jpg
The fighting dinosaurs specimen of Protoceratops and Velociraptor

1971

1972

1975

Skull of Bagaceratops Bagaceratops.JPG
Skull of Bagaceratops
Artistic restoration of Bagaceratops Bagaceratops BW.jpg
Artistic restoration of Bagaceratops

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980s

Artist's restoration of Centrosaurus Centrosaurus BW.jpg
Artist's restoration of Centrosaurus

1981

1983

1984

Skeletal mount of Triceratops "elatus", one of many species synonymized with Triceratops horridus in the 1980s Triceratops AMNH 01.jpg
Skeletal mount of Triceratops "elatus", one of many species synonymized with Triceratops horridus in the 1980s

1985

1986

1987

Artist's restoration of Turanoceratops Turanoceratops.jpg
Artist's restoration of Turanoceratops
Artist's restorations of "Chasmosaurus" (now Agujaceratops) mariscalensis Agujaceratops BW.jpg
Artist's restorations of "Chasmosaurus" (now Agujaceratops ) mariscalensis

1988

1989

1990s

The status of Triceratops as a "long-frilled" ceratopsid became a consensus view in the early 1990s. Triceratops front.jpg
The status of Triceratops as a "long-frilled" ceratopsid became a consensus view in the early 1990s.

1990

1991

1992

Fossil eggs like these were actually laid by the bird-like theropod Oviraptor, not Protoceratops. Oviraptor philoceratops nest AMNH FR 6508.jpg
Fossil eggs like these were actually laid by the bird-like theropod Oviraptor , not Protoceratops .

1993

1994

1995

Skull of Einiosaurus procurvicornis Einiosaurus skull.jpg
Skull of Einiosaurus procurvicornis

1996

Artistic restoration of Achelousaurus horneri Achelousaurus dinosaur.png
Artistic restoration of Achelousaurus horneri

1997

The Alaskan Pachyrhinosaurus species P. perotorum Pachyrhinosaurus fight.png
The Alaskan Pachyrhinosaurus species P. perotorum

Sampson and others studied centrosaurine bonebeds and found that the individuals preserved therein could be categorized into three broad phases of developments; juveniles, subadults, and adults. The researchers defined these age groups based on specimens' body size, the surface texture of their bones, and how completely closed the sutures between their bones were. [36] They observed that the juveniles and subadults of different centrosaurine species are practically indistinguishable and can only be told apart upon reaching adulthood when their horns and frills were fully developed. [12]

The ontogeny of Centrosaurus skulls Centrosaurus skulls.png
The ontogeny of Centrosaurus skulls

Sampson and the other researchers interpreted the delay of ceratopsid horn and frill development to sexual maturity as further evidence for the hypothesis that these traits evolved primarily for competition over mates. They disagreed with more functional explanations for these structures, like the idea that the frills served as attachment points for enlarged jaw muscles. The researchers also marshalled support from the fact that the horns and frills of ceratopsids are the primary source of variation between species within the family and observations of modern animals, whose horns are also primarily used to acquire mates. [8] Nevertheless, they argued that there was still no evidence for sexual dimorphism in ceratopsids. [12]

The researchers argued that the anatomical variation in horns and frills and their delayed development had taxonomic implications. They concluded that species based on immature type specimens like Brachyceratops montanensis and Monoclonius crassus were dubious because immature individuals would not yet have developed the primary traits paleontologists rely on to distinguish one kind of ceratopsid from another. Likewise, they dismissed Avaceratops as just a juvenile rather than a small adult from a distinct taxon. Sampson and the other researchers noted that bonebeds differing in location and age all preserved "Monoclonius-like" fossils left behind by immature animals, which is consistent with the idea that these remains are actually the juveniles of a variety of species from different times and places rather than a unique kind of animal in their own right. [12]

1998

1999

Artistic restoration of Chaoyangsaurus youngi Chaoyangsaurus BW.jpg
Artistic restoration of Chaoyangsaurus youngi

21st century

2000s

Artistic restoration of Graciliceratops mongoliensis Graciliceratops BW.jpg
Artistic restoration of Graciliceratops mongoliensis

2000

2001

Skull of Protoceratops hellenikorhinus Protoceratops hellenikorhinus 1.jpg
Skull of Protoceratops hellenikorhinus

2002

Artistic restoration of Liaoceratops Liaoceratops BW.jpg
Artistic restoration of Liaoceratops

2003

2004

Skeletal mount of Prenoceratops The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis - Prenoceratops pieganensis -1.jpg
Skeletal mount of Prenoceratops

2005

2006

Artistic restoration of Agujaceratops Agujaceratops BW.jpg
Artistic restoration of Agujaceratops

2007

Skull of Eotriceratops Eotriceratops.jpg
Skull of Eotriceratops

2008

2009

2010s

Skull of Diabloceratops eatoni Diabloceratops skull.jpg
Skull of Diabloceratops eatoni

2010

Artistic restoration of Sinoceratops Sinoceratops NT.jpg
Artistic restoration of Sinoceratops

2011

Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum pair Pachyrhinosaurus Perotorum Alaska copyright web.jpg
Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum pair

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020s

2020

2022

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Introduction", page 494.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Table 23.1: Ceratopsidae", page 496.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Table 23.1: Ceratopsidae", page 495.
  4. Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Table 23.1: Ceratopsidae", pages 495–496.
  5. Lavas (1999); "American Museum Expeditions to the Gobi," pages 35–37.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Osmolska, Currie, and Barsbold (2004); "Paleoecology", page 183.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Posture and Locomotion", page 511.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Horns and Frills", page 512.
  9. Tanke (2010); "Background and Collection History," page 541.
  10. Moore (2014); "1896" (3), page 109.
  11. 1 2 Moore (2014); "1901" (4), page 124.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Phylogeny and Evolution", page 508.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Makovicky (2001); "Abstract," page 243.
  14. Makovicky (2001); "Introduction," page 245.
  15. Dodson (1996); "Styracosaurus- The Spear-Bearer", page 165.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 You and Dodson (2004); "Table 22.1: Basal Ceratopsia", page 480.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Integument", page 506.
  18. Carpenter (1999); "First Discoveries," page 2.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 You and Dodson (2004); "Table 22.1: Basal Ceratopsia", page 479.
  20. Carpenter (1999); "First Discoveries," page 4.
  21. Lavas (1999); "American Museum Expeditions to the Gobi," pages 35–36.
  22. Osmolska, Currie, and Barsbold (2004); "Table 8.1: Oviraptorosauria", page 166.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Feeding, Diet, and Respiration", page 511.
  24. Moore (2014); "1929" (7), page 182.
  25. 1 2 3 Eberth, Brinkman, and Barkas (2010); "Introduction", page 496 and "The Site", Eberth.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 You and Dodson (2004); "Biostratigraphy, Taphonomy, Paleoecology, and Biogeography", page 492.
  27. 1 2 Moore (2014); "1977" (5), page 272.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Taphonomy and Paleoecology", page 510.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Phylogeny and Evolution", page 507.
  30. 1 2 You and Dodson (2004); "Biostratigraphy, Taphonomy, Paleoecology, and Biogeography", page 493.
  31. 1 2 3 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Feeding, Diet, and Respiration", page 512.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Historical Biogeography", page 510.
  33. 1 2 3 Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Evolution within Ceratopsidae", page 512.
  34. 1 2 Norell and Makovicky (2004); "Paleoecology", page 209.
  35. Eberth, Brinkman, and Barkas (2010); "Introduction", page 496.
  36. Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); pages "Phylogeny and Evolution", 507–508.
  37. Eberth, Brinkman, and Barkas (2010); "Introduction", page 497 and "The Site", Eberth.
  38. Dodson, Forster, and Sampson (2004); "Evolution within Ceratopsidae", page 513.
  39. Makovicky (2001); "Introduction," page 244.
  40. Makovicky (2001); "Abstract," pages 243–244.
  41. Makovicky (2001); "Discussion," page 253.
  42. Makovicky (2001); "Discussion," page 255.
  43. Tereschenko and Alifanov (2003); "Abstract," page 293.
  44. 1 2 Alifanov (2003); "Abstract," page 524.
  45. You and Dong (2003); "Abstract," page 299.
  46. You, Xu, and Wang (2003); "Abstract," page 15.
  47. Rich and Vickers-Rich (2003); "Abstract," page 1.
  48. Chinnery (2004); "Abstract," page 572.
  49. You et al. (2005); "Abstract," page 593.
  50. Lucas, Sullivan, and Hunt (2006); "Abstract," page 367.
  51. Zhao et al. (2006); "Abstract," page 467.
  52. Makovicky and Norell (2006); "Abstract," page 1.
  53. Xu et al. (2006); "Abstract," page 2135.
  54. Ryan (2007); "Abstract," page 376.
  55. Chinnery and Horner (2007); "Abstract," page 625.
  56. Wu et al. (2007); "Abstract," page 1243.
  57. 1 2 Mateus (2008); "Abstract," page 423.
  58. Alifanov (2008); "Abstract," page 621.
  59. Ohashi and Barrett (2009); "Abstract," page 748.
  60. Jin et al. (2009); "Abstract," page 200.
  61. Ősi, Butler, and Weishampel (2010); "Abstract," page 466.
  62. You, Tanque, and Dodson (2010); "Abstract," page 59.
  63. Loewen et al. (2010); "Abstract," page 99.
  64. Kirkland and DeBlieux (2010); "Abstract," page 117.
  65. 1 2 3 Sampson et al. (2010); "Abstract," page 1.
  66. Ryan, Russell and Hartman (2010); "Abstract," page 505.
  67. Longrich (2010); "Abstract," page 681.
  68. Sullivan and Lucas (2010); "Abstract," page 169.
  69. Sereno, Zhao and Lin (2010); "Abstract," page 199.
  70. McDonald and Horner (2010); "Abstract," page 156.
  71. Xu et al. (2010); "Abstract," page 1631.
  72. Ott and Larson (2010); "Abstract," page 203.
  73. Xu et al. (2010); "Abstract," page 1.
  74. Lee, Ryan and Kobayashi (2011); "Abstract," page 39.
  75. Farke et al. (2011); "Abstract," page 691.
  76. Longrich (2011); "Abstract," page 264.
  77. 1 2 Ryan, Evans and Shepherd (2012); "Abstract," page 1251.
  78. Ryan et al. (2012); "Abstract," page 69.
  79. Fiorillo and Tykoski (2012); "Abstract," page 561.
  80. Wick and Lehman (2013); "Abstract," page 667.
  81. Longrich (2013); "Abstract," page 51.
  82. Sampson et al. (2013); "Abstract," page 1.
  83. Ryan et al. (2014); "Abstract," page 505.
  84. Longrich (2014); "Abstract," page 292.
  85. Farke et al. (2014); "Abstract," page 1.
  86. Brown and Henderson (2015); "Abstract," page 1641.
  87. Zheng, Jin, and Xu (2015); "Abstract," page 1.
  88. Evans and Ryan (2015); "Abstract," page 1.
  89. Han et al. (2015); in passim.
  90. He et al. (2015); in passim.
  91. Mallon et al. (2016); in passim.
  92. Lund et al. (2016); in passim.
  93. Sebastian G. Dalman; John-Paul M. Hodnett; Asher J. Lichtig; Spencer G. Lucas (2018). "A new ceratopsid dinosaur (Centrosaurinae: Nasutoceratopsini) from the Fort Crittenden Formation, Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) of Arizona". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 79: 141–164.
  94. Qi Zhao; Michael J. Benton; Shoji Hayashi; Xing Xu (2019). "Ontogenetic stages of ceratopsian dinosaur Psittacosaurus in bone histology". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 64. doi: 10.4202/app.00559.2018 .
  95. Qian-Nan Zhang; James L. King; Da-Qing Li; Ye-Mao Hou; Hai-Lu You (2019). "Endocranial morphology of Auroraceratops sp. (Dinosauria: Ceratopsia) from the Early Cretaceous of Gansu Province, China". Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. 32 (10): 1–6. doi:10.1080/08912963.2019.1588893. S2CID   91650220.
  96. Łukasz Czepiński (2019). "Ontogeny and variation of a protoceratopsid dinosaur Bagaceratops rozhdestvenskyi from the Late Cretaceous of the Gobi Desert". Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. 32 (10): 1–28. doi:10.1080/08912963.2019.1593404. S2CID   132780322.
  97. Brandon P. Hedrick; Erika Goldsmith; Hector Rivera‐Sylva; Anthony R. Fiorillo; Allison R. Tumarkin‐Deratzian; Peter Dodson (2019). "Filling in gaps in the ceratopsid histologic database: Histology of two basal centrosaurines and an assessment of the utility of rib histology in the Ceratopsidae". The Anatomical Record. 303 (4): 935–948. doi: 10.1002/ar.24099 . PMID   30773832.
  98. Ronald S. Tykoski; Anthony R. Fiorillo; Kentaro Chiba (2019). "New data and diagnosis for the Arctic ceratopsid dinosaur Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 17 (16): 1177–1196. Bibcode:2019JSPal..17.1397T. doi:10.1080/14772019.2018.1532464. S2CID   92034503.
  99. Arbour, Victoria; Evans, David (2019). "A new leptoceratopsid dinosaur from Maastrichtian-aged deposits of the Sustut Basin, northern British Columbia, Canada". PeerJ. 7: e7926. doi: 10.7717/peerj.7926 . PMC   6842559 . PMID   31720103.
  100. Fowler, D.W.; Freedman Fowler, E.A. (2020). "Transitional evolutionary forms in chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaurs: evidence from the Campanian of New Mexico". PeerJ. 8: e9251. doi: 10.7717/peerj.9251 . PMC   7278894 . PMID   32547873.
  101. Dalman, S.G.; Lucas, S.G.; Jasinski, S.E.; Longrich, N.R. (2022). "Sierraceratops turneri, a new chasmosaurine ceratopsid from the Hall Lake Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of south-central New Mexico". Cretaceous Research. 130: Article 105034. Bibcode:2022CrRes.13005034D. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105034. S2CID   244210664.

Related Research Articles

<i>Triceratops</i> Genus of ceratopsid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous

Triceratops is a genus of chasmosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the late Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 to 66 million years ago in what is now western North America. It was one of the last-known non-avian dinosaurs and lived until the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago. The name Triceratops, which literally means 'three-horned face', is derived from the Greek words trí- meaning 'three', kéras meaning 'horn', and ṓps meaning 'face'.

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

Chasmosaurus is a genus of ceratopsid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period in North America. Its given name means 'opening lizard', referring to the large openings (fenestrae) in its frill. With a length of 4.3–4.8 metres (14.1–15.7 ft) and a weight of 1.5–2 tonnes —or anywhere from 2,200 to nearly 5,000 lbs., give or take—Chasmosaurus was of a slightly smaller to ‘average’ size, especially when compared to larger ceratopsians. The Chasmosaurs were similar, in overall build and weight, to a white rhinoceros or an Indian rhinoceros; just like rhinos, and all other ceratopsians, they were purely herbivorous, needing to consume around 54 kilograms, or 120 lbs., of plant matter each day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceratopsia</span> Extinct suborder of Dinosaurs

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceratopsidae</span> Family of dinosaurs including Triceratops and relatives

Ceratopsidae is a family of ceratopsian dinosaurs including Triceratops, Centrosaurus, and Styracosaurus. All known species were quadrupedal herbivores from the Upper Cretaceous. All but one species are known from western North America, which formed the island continent of Laramidia during most of the Late Cretaceous. Ceratopsids are characterized by beaks, rows of shearing teeth in the back of the jaw, elaborate nasal horns, and a thin parietal-squamosal shelf that extends back and up into a frill. The group is divided into two subfamilies—Chasmosaurinae and Centrosaurinae. The chasmosaurines are generally characterized by long, triangular frills and well-developed brow horns. The centrosaurines had well-developed nasal horns or nasal bosses, shorter and more rectangular frills, and elaborate spines on the back of the frill.

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

Marginocephalia is a clade of ornithischian dinosaurs that is characterized by a bony shelf or margin at the back of the skull. These fringes were likely used for display. There are two clades included in Marginocephalia: the thick-skulled Pachycephalosauria and the horned Ceratopsia. All members of Marginocephalia were primarily herbivores. They basally used gastroliths to aid in digestion of tough plant matter until they convergently evolved tooth batteries in Neoceratopsia and Pachycephalosauria. Marginocephalia first evolved in the Jurassic Period and became more common in the Cretaceous. They are basally small facultative quadrupeds while derived members of the group are large obligate quadrupeds. Primitive marginocephalians are found in Asia, but the group migrated upwards into North America.

<i>Styracosaurus</i> Ceratopsian dinosaur genus from the Cretaceous Period

Styracosaurus was a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur originating from the Cretaceous Period, about 75.5 to 74.5 million years ago. It had four to six long parietal spikes extending from its neck frill, a smaller jugal horn on each of its cheeks, and a single horn protruding from its nose, which may have been up to 60 centimeters long and 15 centimeters wide. The function or functions of the horns and frills have been debated for many years.

<i>Einiosaurus</i> Ceratopsian dinosaur genus from Upper Cretaceous period

Einiosaurus is a genus of herbivorous centrosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of northwestern Montana. The name means 'bison lizard', in a combination of Blackfeet Indian eini and Latinized Ancient Greek sauros; the specific name (procurvicornis) means 'with a forward-curving horn' in Latin. Einiosaurus is medium-sized with an estimated body length at 4.5 metres (15 ft).

<i>Achelousaurus</i> Genus of ceratopsid dinosaur from North America

Achelousaurus is a genus of centrosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now North America, about 74.2 million years ago. The first fossils of Achelousaurus were collected in Montana in 1987, by a team led by Jack Horner, with more finds made in 1989. In 1994, Achelousaurus horneri was described and named by Scott D. Sampson; the generic name means "Achelous lizard", in reference to the Greek deity Achelous, and the specific name refers to Horner. The genus is known from a few specimens consisting mainly of skull material from individuals, ranging from juveniles to adults.

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

Centrosaurus is a genus of centrosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur from Campanian age of Late Cretaceous Canada. Their remains have been found in the Dinosaur Park Formation, dating from 76.5 to 75.5 million years ago.

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

Liaoceratops, meaning "Liaoning horned face", is a ceratopsian dinosaur believed to be an early relative of the horned ceratopsids. It lived in the Early Cretaceous, 126 million years ago. It was discovered in China by a team of American and Chinese scientists. Liaoceratops was much smaller than its later relatives, but offers a glimpse into the early evolution of this group of dinosaurs.

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

Anchiceratops is an extinct genus of chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that lived approximately 72 to 71 million years ago during the latter part of the Cretaceous Period in what is now Alberta, Canada. Anchiceratops was a medium-sized, heavily built, ground-dwelling, quadrupedal herbivore that could grow up to an estimated 4.3 metres (14 ft) long. Its skull featured two long brow horns and a short horn on the nose. The skull frill was elongated and rectangular, its edges adorned by coarse triangular projections. About a dozen skulls of the genus have been found.

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

Monoclonius is an extinct genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur found in the Late Cretaceous layers of the Judith River Formation in Montana, United States, and the uppermost rock layers of the Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada dated to between 75 and 74.6 million years ago.

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

Brachyceratops is a dubious genus of ceratopsian dinosaur known only from partial juvenile specimens dating to the late Cretaceous Period of Montana, United States.

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

Ceratops is a dubious genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous. Its fossils have been found in the Judith River Formation in Montana. Although poorly known, Ceratops is important in the history of dinosaurs, since it is the type genus for which both the Ceratopsia and the Ceratopsidae have been named.

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

Medusaceratops is an extinct genus of centrosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Montana, northern United States. It contains a single species, Medusaceratops lokii.

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

Agujaceratops is a genus of horned dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of west Texas. It is a chasmosaurine (long-frilled) ceratopsian. Two species are known, Agujaceratops mariscalensis, and A. mavericus.

<i>Kosmoceratops</i> Dinosaur genus from the Late Cretaceous period

Kosmoceratops is a genus of ceratopsid dinosaur that lived in North America about 76–75.9 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Specimens were discovered in Utah in the Kaiparowits Formation of the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in 2006 and 2007, including an adult skull and postcranial skeleton and partial subadults. In 2010, the adult was made the holotype of the new genus and species Kosmoceratops richardsoni; the generic name means "ornate horned face", and the specific name honors Scott Richardson, who found the specimens. The find was part of a spate of ceratopsian discoveries in the early 21st century, and Kosmoceratops was considered significant due to its elaborate skull ornamentation.

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

Vagaceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur. It is a chasmosaurine ceratopsian which lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Alberta. Its fossils have been recovered from the Upper Dinosaur Park Formation. It is sometimes included in the genus Chasmosaurus as Chasmosaurus irvinensis instead of being recognized as its own genus.

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

Nasutoceratops is an extinct genus of ceratopsian dinosaur. It is a basal centrosaurine which lived during the Late Cretaceous Period. Fossils have been found in southern Utah, United States. Nasutoceratops was a large, ground-dwelling, quadrupedal herbivore with a short snout and unique rounded horns above its eyes that have been likened to those of modern cattle. Extending almost to the tip of its snout, these horns are the longest of all the members of the centrosaurine subfamily. The presence of pneumatic elements in the nasal bones of Nasutoceratops are a unique trait and are unknown in any other ceratopsid.

References