Xuanhuaceratops

Zwan-ha-seh-ra-tops.
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Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Xuanhuaceratops ‭(‬Xuanhua horned face‭)‬.

Phonetic

Zwan-ha-seh-ra-tops.

Named By

Zhao,‭ ‬Cheng,‭ ‬Xu,‭ ‬Makovicky‭ ‬-‭ ‬2006.‭

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Ornithischia,‭ ‬Marginocephalia,‭ ‬Ceratopsia,‭ ‬Chaoyangsauridae.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

X.‭ ‬niei‭

Size

Estimated‭ ‬90‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

China,‭ ‬Hebei Province,‭ ‬Xuanhua‭ ‬-‭ ‬Houcheng Formation.

Time Period

Late Jurassic.

Fossil representation

Four individuals represented by partial skull and post cranial remains.

In Depth

       Xuanhuaceratops represents the early ceratopsian form that was a small probably bipedal dinosaur that had developed the sharp cropping beak as well as the rudimentary beginnnings of the neck frill that would become so characteristic of the ceratopsians.‭ ‬Because of its small size Xuanhuaceratops probably had to rely upon speed and agility to escape predators that may have included theropods like Xuanhanosaurus.

Further Reading

– A new ceratopsian from the Upper Jurassic Houcheng Formation of Hebei, China. – Acta Geologica Sinica 80(4):467-473. – X. Zhao, Z. Cheng, X. Xu and P. J. Makovicky – 2006.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT