Agujaceratops (meaning "horned face from Aguja") is a genus of horned dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of west Texas. It is a chasmosaurine (long-frilled) ceratopsian. Two species are known, Agujaceratops mariscalensis, and A. mavericus.
Restoration of Agujaceratops mariscalensisSize comparison of Agujaceratops mariscalensis to a humanJuvenile Agujaceratops skeleton as reproduced by Triebold Paleontology in Woodland Park, Colorado, USA
In 1938, three dinosaur bone beds were excavated, and ceratopsian material was collected from Big Bend National Park (Texas) by William Strain. This material was studied by Lehman in 1989 and named Chasmosaurus mariscalensis. It is known only from the holotypeUTEP P.37.7.086 a partial adult skull which includes a braincase, left supraorbital horncore, left maxilla and a right dentary. Additional material was associated with the holotype, but not considered to be part of it.[1] All specimens of Agujaceratops were collected from the lower part of the Upper Shale member of the Aguja Formation, dating to about 77 million years ago,[2] in the Big Bend National Park, Brewster County. Additional material was recovered from elsewhere in west Texas, including a nearly complete skull from Rattlesnake Mountain designated TMM 43098-1.
Originally described as Chasmosaurus mariscalensis by Lehman in 1989, subsequent analysis resulted in the taxon being put in its own genus. Agujaceratops was named by Spencer G. Lucas, Robert M. Sullivan and Adrian Hunt in 2006, and the type species is Agujaceratops mariscalensis.[3]
Later, Lehman and colleagues revisited the Agujaceratops material and found substantial variation. They described the Rattlesnake Mountain skull as a new species, Agujaceratops mavericus.[4]
DescriptionEdit
Agujaceratops mariscalensis brow horn
Agujaceratops was a relatively large horned dinosaur, reaching 4.3 metres (14 ft) in length and 1.5 metric tons (1.7 short tons) in body mass.[5] It was similar to other chasmosaurines such as Pentaceratops in having a short nose horn, long brow horns, and an elongate frill circled by small hornlets. The back of the frill has a strong notch, as in Pentaceratops and Chasmosaurus, giving it a heart shape, with three or four pairs of spike-like hornlets. The edges of the frill bear numerous low, blunt hornlets, giving it a strongly scalloped appearance. The brow horns are oriented up and out, and curve backwards in side view.[4]
Agujaceratops mariscalensis squamosal
Two species are known, Agujaceratops mariscalensis and A. mavericus. A. mariscalensis has shorter brow horns and a shorter frill.[4]
EcologyEdit
Like other ceratopsids, Agujaceratops was a four-legged plant eater. The elaborate frill and horns suggest a complex social life, perhaps involving displays towards and fights with other members of the species over territory or mating. Multiple individuals are found in a single quarry. It is unclear whether this represents animals brought together by a drought or flood event, or perhaps a herd. Although it is common to find multiple individuals of centrosaurine ceratopsids together - large bonebeds are known for Centrosaurus and Pachyrhinosaurus, for example - bonebeds are rarer for chasmosaurines.[citation needed]
At the time, the Aguja Formation lay along the western margin of the Western Interior Seaway. The habitat Agujaceratops lived in (at least where the fossil material was found) may have been a swamp, due to the nature of the sediments.[citation needed]
^Lehman, T. M. (1989). "Chasmosaurus mariscalensis, sp. Nov., a new ceratopsian dinosaur from Texas". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 9 (2): 137–162. doi:10.1080/02724634.1989.10011749.
^Longrich, N. R.; Sankey, J.; Tanke, D. (2010). "Texacephale langstoni, a new genus of pachycephalosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the upper Campanian Aguja Formation, southern Texas, USA". Cretaceous Research. 31 (2): 274. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2009.12.002.
^Lucas, S.G.; Sullivan, R.M.; Hunt, A.P. (2006). "Re-evaluation of Pentaceratops and Chasmosaurus (Ornithischia: Ceratopsidae) in the Upper Cretaceous of the Western Interior" (PDF). New Mexico Museum of Natural History. 35: 367–370.
^ abcLehman, T.M.; Wick, S.L.; Barnes, K.R. (2016). "New specimens of horned dinosaurs from the Aguja Formation of West Texas, and a revision of Agujaceratops". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 15 (8): 641–674. doi:10.1080/14772019.2016.1210683. S2CID 88907183.
^Paul, G. S. (2016). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (2 ed.). Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 297. ISBN978-0-691-16766-4.
Dodson, P. (1996). The Horned Dinosaurs. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. ISBN0-691-05900-4.
External linksEdit
DinoGeorge's List of Dinosaurs, including Agujaceratops 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine
Brief mention of Agujaceratops on the DML 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine and here as well 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
agujaceratops, meaning, horned, face, from, aguja, genus, horned, dinosaur, from, late, cretaceous, campanian, west, texas, chasmosaurine, long, frilled, ceratopsian, species, known, mariscalensis, mavericus, temporal, range, late, cretaceous, preꞒ, partial, h. Agujaceratops meaning horned face from Aguja is a genus of horned dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Campanian of west Texas It is a chasmosaurine long frilled ceratopsian Two species are known Agujaceratops mariscalensis and A mavericus AgujaceratopsTemporal range Late Cretaceous 77 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Partial holotype skull Texas Science and Natural History MuseumScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClade DinosauriaClade OrnithischiaSuborder CeratopsiaFamily CeratopsidaeSubfamily ChasmosaurinaeGenus AgujaceratopsLucas Sullivan amp Hunt 2006Type species Agujaceratops mariscalensis Lehman 1989 SpeciesA mariscalensis Lehman 1989 A mavericus Lehman et al 2016SynonymsChasmosaurus mariscalensis Lehman 1989 Contents 1 Discovery and species 2 Description 3 Ecology 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDiscovery and species Edit nbsp Restoration of Agujaceratops mariscalensis nbsp Size comparison of Agujaceratops mariscalensis to a human nbsp Juvenile Agujaceratops skeleton as reproduced by Triebold Paleontology in Woodland Park Colorado USAIn 1938 three dinosaur bone beds were excavated and ceratopsian material was collected from Big Bend National Park Texas by William Strain This material was studied by Lehman in 1989 and named Chasmosaurus mariscalensis It is known only from the holotype UTEP P 37 7 086 a partial adult skull which includes a braincase left supraorbital horncore left maxilla and a right dentary Additional material was associated with the holotype but not considered to be part of it 1 All specimens of Agujaceratops were collected from the lower part of the Upper Shale member of the Aguja Formation dating to about 77 million years ago 2 in the Big Bend National Park Brewster County Additional material was recovered from elsewhere in west Texas including a nearly complete skull from Rattlesnake Mountain designated TMM 43098 1 Originally described as Chasmosaurus mariscalensis by Lehman in 1989 subsequent analysis resulted in the taxon being put in its own genus Agujaceratops was named by Spencer G Lucas Robert M Sullivan and Adrian Hunt in 2006 and the type species is Agujaceratops mariscalensis 3 Later Lehman and colleagues revisited the Agujaceratops material and found substantial variation They described the Rattlesnake Mountain skull as a new species Agujaceratops mavericus 4 Description Edit nbsp Agujaceratops mariscalensis brow hornAgujaceratops was a relatively large horned dinosaur reaching 4 3 metres 14 ft in length and 1 5 metric tons 1 7 short tons in body mass 5 It was similar to other chasmosaurines such as Pentaceratops in having a short nose horn long brow horns and an elongate frill circled by small hornlets The back of the frill has a strong notch as in Pentaceratops and Chasmosaurus giving it a heart shape with three or four pairs of spike like hornlets The edges of the frill bear numerous low blunt hornlets giving it a strongly scalloped appearance The brow horns are oriented up and out and curve backwards in side view 4 nbsp Agujaceratops mariscalensis squamosalTwo species are known Agujaceratops mariscalensis and A mavericus A mariscalensis has shorter brow horns and a shorter frill 4 Ecology EditLike other ceratopsids Agujaceratops was a four legged plant eater The elaborate frill and horns suggest a complex social life perhaps involving displays towards and fights with other members of the species over territory or mating Multiple individuals are found in a single quarry It is unclear whether this represents animals brought together by a drought or flood event or perhaps a herd Although it is common to find multiple individuals of centrosaurine ceratopsids together large bonebeds are known for Centrosaurus and Pachyrhinosaurus for example bonebeds are rarer for chasmosaurines citation needed At the time the Aguja Formation lay along the western margin of the Western Interior Seaway The habitat Agujaceratops lived in at least where the fossil material was found may have been a swamp due to the nature of the sediments citation needed Agujaceratops lived alongside a fauna that included the feathered dinosaur Leptorhynchos gaddisi and the small pachycephalosaur Texacephale Predators would have included tyrannosaurs and the giant crocodilian Deinosuchus riograndensis citation needed See also EditTimeline of ceratopsian research 2016 in paleontologyReferences Edit Lehman T M 1989 Chasmosaurus mariscalensis sp Nov a new ceratopsian dinosaur from Texas Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 9 2 137 162 doi 10 1080 02724634 1989 10011749 Longrich N R Sankey J Tanke D 2010 Texacephale langstoni a new genus of pachycephalosaurid Dinosauria Ornithischia from the upper Campanian Aguja Formation southern Texas USA Cretaceous Research 31 2 274 doi 10 1016 j cretres 2009 12 002 Lucas S G Sullivan R M Hunt A P 2006 Re evaluation of Pentaceratops and Chasmosaurus Ornithischia Ceratopsidae in the Upper Cretaceous of the Western Interior PDF New Mexico Museum of Natural History 35 367 370 a b c Lehman T M Wick S L Barnes K R 2016 New specimens of horned dinosaurs from the Aguja Formation of West Texas and a revision of Agujaceratops Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 15 8 641 674 doi 10 1080 14772019 2016 1210683 S2CID 88907183 Paul G S 2016 The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs 2 ed Princeton Princeton University Press p 297 ISBN 978 0 691 16766 4 Dodson P 1996 The Horned Dinosaurs Princeton University Press Princeton New Jersey ISBN 0 691 05900 4 External links EditDinoGeorge s List of Dinosaurs including Agujaceratops Archived 2011 07 15 at the Wayback Machine Brief mention of Agujaceratops on the DML Archived 2016 03 03 at the Wayback Machine and here as well Archived 2016 03 03 at the Wayback Machine Texas archosaurs including Chasmosaurus now Agujaceratops Portals nbsp Dinosaurs nbsp Cretaceous Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Agujaceratops amp oldid 1178268282, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
