In Depth Fossils sitting in a museum and sometimes thought to belong to one kind of ceratopsian dinosaur are sometimes found to actually represent another upon later examination. This is how others such as Mojoceratops and Spinops were discovered, and is also how Ojoceratops was discovered. Ojoceratops was classed as Torosaurus, but is thought to … Read more
In Depth When it comes to popularity Triceratops is only eclipsed by Tyrannosaurus, and even then there are a considerable portion of people who actually prefer Triceratops over the aforementioned apex predator. Yet despite its frequent depiction from toys to dinosaur books, films and other media, there is still a lot of controversy and misconception … Read more
In Depth The Tatankaceratops type specimen was pieced together from partial remains before it was named in 2010, and soon after there were murmurings that it was actually a juvenile Triceratops. This stems down to a 2011 study by Nicholas R. Longrich which noted a mix of juvenile and adult characteristics in the skull. Since … Read more
In Depth Even though it did not have the elaborate horns of some ceratopsians like Einiosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus has become a favourite amongst ceratopsian dinosaur enthusiasts because of the large bony growth called a boss that is present on top of its snout. A second smaller boss was also present over the eyes and is sometimes … Read more
In Depth The holotype specimen of Spinops was first discovered in 1916 by Charles H. and Levi Sternberg. However when the material was sent to the London Natural History Museum (the institution that financed the dig) the keeper of Geology, one Arthur Smith Woodward (today best remembered for declaring the ‘Piltdown Man’ as a genuine … Read more
In Depth The key thing about Judiceratops is that at the time of its description it appears to be the oldest known chasmosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur. Unfortunately only an incomplete skull is known for the genus, so figures on size and a confirmed arrangement of horns and neck frill are a little tricky to establish. Judiceratops … Read more
In Depth Initially thought to represent a large Pentaceratops individual, Titanoceratops was declared its own genera after further study found the material to belong to a new, although still very similar, ceratopsian dinosaur. The large size of Titanoceratops was the inspiration for the new genera name, with the species name T. ouranos derived from the … Read more
In Depth Coahuilaceratops attained overnight fame amongst the ceratopsian dinosaurs because it is thought to have the longest brow horns of any within the group. Although no single complete horn has yet been found, palaeontologists studying Coahuilaceratops spent a lot of careful time and effort comparing the available material to other similar chasmosaurine ceratopsians to … Read more
In Depth Achelousaurus may represent something of a transition as even though it has two distinct horns that rise from the top of its neck frill like in Einiosaurus, it has a large nasal boss as seen in Pachyrhinosaurus. This is why Achelousaurus has been considered a transitional form that links these two ceratopsian dinosaurs … Read more
In Depth The nasal horn of Einiosaurus is quite unusual in that it curves forward to point towards the ground, something which is reflected in the species name E. procurvicornis which translates to English as ‘forward curving horn’. In young Einiosaurus this horn is thought to have started out small, but as the individual grew … Read more