Judiceratops
Name:
Judiceratops
(Judith horned face - after the Judith River Formation).
Phonetic: Ju-dee-seh-rah-tops.
Named By: Nicholas R. Longrich - 2013.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Ornithischia, Ceratopsia, Ceratopsidae, Chasmosaurinae.
Species: J. tigris (type).
Diet: Herbivore.
Size: Unknown due to lack of remains.
Known locations: USA, Montana - Judith River
Formation.
Time period: Campanian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Incomplete skull.
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
is the second confirmed chasmosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur to be named
from the Judith River Formation; the first was Medusaceratops
in
2010. At the time of its discovery the only other two ceratopsian
dinosaurs confirmed as being in the Judith River Formation are the
centrosaurines Avaceratops
and Albertaceratops.
Other genera have
been considered, but their remains are often considered dubious.
Aside
from ceratopsian dinosaurs, Judiceratops may have
shared its habitat
with hadrosaurid
dinosaurs such as Lambeosaurus
and Brachylophosaurus.
Small predatory dinosaurs such as the dromaeosaur
Dromaeosaurus
and
the troodontid
Troodon
also seem to have been present. The main
threat for Judiceratops however would come from tyrannosaurs
like
Gorgosaurus.
Further reading
- Judiceratops tigris, a New Horned Dinosaur from the Middle
Campanian Judith River Formation of Montana, Nicholas R. Longrich
- 2013.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Random favourites
 |
 |
 |