Udanoceratops

Reconstruction of the skull of Udanoceratops

• Asia (Mongolia)

• U. tschizhovi Kurzanov, 1992

Udanoceratops is a genus of bird Beck dinosaur ( Ornithischia ) from the group of ceratopsians, possibly from the family of Protoceratopsidae.

Features

From Udanoceratops parts of the skull and limbs are known. It was a relatively large dinosaur reached an estimated length of 3 to 4 meters. His skull had like all ceratopsians on the narrow, pointed snout, which was formed from Rostralknochen and Praedentale. On the nose no bony hump was present in contrast to other Protoceratopsidae and neck shield was very faint. The teeth were aligned, as with all Ceratopsia on a plant-based diet.

Discovery and designation

The fossil remains of Udanoceratops were discovered in the Djadokhta formation in the Mongolian province Ömnö Gobi aimag and first described in 1992. The genus name is derived from the locality Udan - Sayr and the Greek keratops ( = " horn face" ), a common name component of the ceratopsians. The finds are dated to the Upper Cretaceous ( Santonian or early Campanian ) at an age of around 86 million to 80 million years.

System

The systematic classification of Udanoceratops is controversial, as it combines features of different taxa in itself. The elliptical nostrils and the construction of the rostral and upper jawbone speak for one belonging to the Protoceratopsidae, the construction of the lower jaw and teeth, however, for the Leptoceratopsidae. When he is assigned to the second named group, it would be (next to the equally controversial Bainoceratops ) the only Asian representative of this otherwise known only from North America dinosaur group. You & Dodson (2004) argue, however, for a close relationship to the Protoceratopsidae, but see the findings as to uncomplete for more precise analysis.