Platyceratops

• Mongolia

• P. tatarinovi Alifanov, 2003

Platyceratops is a little known genus of bird Beck dinosaur ( Ornithischia ) from the group of ceratopsians.

From Platyceratops has only been a poorly preserved skull known. This was similar to Bagaceratops, but was slightly larger. Striking the comparatively short face and the distinct horn was on the nose. As with all Ceratopsia the muzzle was pointed, which is a selective food intake allowed. This dinosaur was like all ceratopsians herbivores.

The fossil remains of Platyceratops come from the Barun - Goyot formation in the Mongolian Gobi province Ömnö and were first described in 2003. The genus name is derived from the Greek words platys ( = "wide" ) and keratops ( = " horn face" ), a common name component of the ceratopsians. Type species and only known species is P. tatarinovi. The finds are dated to the Late Cretaceous (late Santonian or Campanian ) in age 86-72 million years.

Systematically Platyceratops is classified as a close relative of Bagaceratops and how this classified either in the Protoceratopsidae or in the Bagaceratopsidae. In the opinion of some researchers, it could be at Platyceratops merely a synonym of Bagaceratops.