Aquilops
Aquilops is a small early Ceratopsian dinosaur from Montana, U.S.A.. It is from the Lower Cretaceous, about 109 to 104 million years ago (mya). This is 20 million years before the previous earliest known North American dinosaur of its type.[1]
| Aquilops Temporal range: Early Cretaceous,
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| Skull seen from the sides, above, and below | |
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| Genus: | †Aquilops Farke et al., 2014
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A. americanus Farke et al., 2014 (type) | |
The skull, which is the only part found, is smaller than a man's hand.[2]
Aquilops Media
Life restoration of Aquilops americanus.
Cranial reconstruction of Aquilops americanus. Cranium in A) right lateral and B) dorsal views. The rendering is based on OMNH 34557 (holotype), with missing details patterned after Liaoceratops yanzigouensis and Archaeoceratops oshimai.
Lower jaw of Aquilops americanus, OMNH 34557 (holotype). Predentary and left dentary in A) medial; B) ventral; C) dorsal; and D) lateral views. The three fragments, although unattached, were placed into articulation for these photos. The rostral direction is to the right in A and to the left in B–D.
Cloverly formation environment with Gobiconodon pursuing juvenile Aquilops while adults attempt to protect them.
3D scan of the holotype cranium (click thumbnail to turn around)
References
- ↑ Farke, Andrew A. 2014. A ceratopsian dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Western North America, and the biogeography of Neoceratopsia. PLOS One doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0112055 [1]
- ↑ BBC Earth. New horned dinosaur found in the US