Anchiceratops

Skull of Anchiceratops

• Canada

• A. ornatus Brown, 1914

Anchiceratops is a genus of bird Beck dinosaurs from the group of Ceratopsidae within the ceratopsians.

Features

Anchiceratops pointed to the typical physique of Ceratopsidae and was approximately 6 feet in length, a medium-sized member of this group. The skull was large and heavy, pointed snout, like all members of this dinosaur group and parrot beak similar. It was formed from the Rostralknochen (in the upper jaw ) and the Praedentale (before the lower jaw). The dentition consisted of tooth batteries, which are in rows spaced teeth that are replaced by the following tooth when worn. The occlusal surfaces of the teeth were almost perpendicular.

On the nose sat a little horn, the supraorbital horns were significantly longer and bent forwards. The typical for Ceratopsidae neck shield was formed from the parietal and squamosal. He was relatively long, but in contrast to the neck shield related species provided only with small, paired openings. At the edge of the shield there were jagged ossification, called Epocciptale.

The fuselage was powerfully built, stocky limbs. The front limbs, which ended in five toes were significantly shorter than the hind legs, which carried four provided with hooves toes. Anchiceratops always moving quadruped continued ( on all fours ).

Paleobiology

From Anchiceratops are bone beds ( " bone stock " ) are known in which the remains of numerous animals have been found from different ages. It is conceivable that these animals at least temporarily living together in larger groups and eventually perished together by a natural disaster ( flood or drought ).

Horns and neck shields of Ceratopsidae are often associated with the defense against predators. However, after today's perspective, the headdress was primarily the identification of the individual species as well as the interaction with other dogs - either by exhibition, threatening gestures or in fighting. It may be decreased by territorial boundaries or mating privileges.

The tooth batteries of Anchiceratops with the vertical occlusal surfaces were aligned for cutting, but not be ground movement. The tapered snout is indicative of the ability of selective feeding. The construction of the lower jaw indicates a high bite force. It is probable that this dinosaur fed on hard, fibrous plants.

Discovery and designation

The fossil remains of Anchiceratops were found in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation in Alberta (Canada) and first described in 1914 by Barnum Brown. The name is derived from the Greek words Anchi ( = "close" ) and keratops ( = " horn face" ) because the dinosaur was closely related to the describer 's view with the already known ceratopsian. Type species is A. ornatus, a second, described 1929 species named A. longirostris, is now regarded as a synonym of A. ornatus. The findings are from the Upper Cretaceous (late Campanian to early Maastrichtian ) and are about 76 to 69 million years old.

System

Anchiceratops is classified within the Ceratopsidae in the Chasmosaurinae that were characterized by long over eyes horns and a usually long neck shield. His sister taxon should be Arrhinoceratops.