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A new, transitional centrosaurine ceratopsid from the Upper Cretaceous Two Medicine Formation of Montana and the evolution of the 'Styracosaurus-line' dinosaurs.

ABSTRACT: Ceratopsids are among the most ubiquitous dinosaur taxa from the Late Cretaceous terrestrial formations of the Western Interior of North America, comprising two subfamilies, Chasmosaurinae and Centrosaurinae. The Two Medicine Formation of northwestern Montana has produced numerous remains of centrosaurine dinosaurs, which represent three taxa previously considered valid: Rubeosaurus ovatus, Einiosaurus procurvicornis and Achelousaurus horneri. Here, we reassess the previous referral of specimens to Rubeousaurus ovatus and demonstrate that this taxon is represented solely by its holotype specimen, which was first diagnosed as Styracosaurus ovatus. One of the specimens previously referred to 'Rubeosaurus' ovatus instead represents a new eucentrosauran centrosaurine taxon diagnosed here, Stellasaurus ancellae gen. et sp. nov. Stellasaurus expresses a unique combination of eucentrosauran centrosaurine characters, including an elongate nasal horncore, diminutive supraorbital horncores, and a parietal bearing straight, elongate P3 processes, semi-elongate P4 processes and non-elongate P5, P6 and P7 processes. Within the stratigraphic succession of Eucentrosaura, Stellasaurus occurs intermediate to Styracosaurus albertensis and Einiosaurus, and likewise reflects intermediate morphology. Assessed within the stratigraphic, geographical, taphonomic, ontogenetic and phylogenetic framework of Unified Frames of Reference, we fail to reject the hypothesis that Stellasaurus ancellae represents a transitional taxon within an anagenetic lineage of eucentrosauran centrosaurines.

SUBMITTER: Wilson JP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7211873 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A new, transitional centrosaurine ceratopsid from the Upper Cretaceous Two Medicine Formation of Montana and the evolution of the 'Styracosaurus-line' dinosaurs.

Wilson John P JP Ryan Michael J MJ Evans David C DC

Royal Society open science 20200429 4

Ceratopsids are among the most ubiquitous dinosaur taxa from the Late Cretaceous terrestrial formations of the Western Interior of North America, comprising two subfamilies, Chasmosaurinae and Centrosaurinae. The Two Medicine Formation of northwestern Montana has produced numerous remains of centrosaurine dinosaurs, which represent three taxa previously considered valid: Rubeosaurus ovatus, Einiosaurus procurvicornis and Achelousaurus horneri. Here, we reassess the previous ...[more]

PMID: 32431910

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Project description:BackgroundA dinosaur census recorded during the Hell Creek Project (1999-2009) incorporates multiple lines of evidence from geography, taphohistory, stratigraphy, phylogeny and ontogeny to investigate the relative abundance of large dinosaurs preserved in the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of northeastern Montana, USA. Overall, the dinosaur skeletal assemblages in the Hell Creek Formation (excluding lag-influenced records) consist primarily of subadult or small adult size individuals. Small juveniles and large adults are both extremely rare, whereas subadult individuals are relatively common. We propose that mature individuals of at least some dinosaur taxa either lived in a separate geographic locale analogous to younger individuals inhabiting an upland environment where sedimentation rates were relatively less, or these taxa experienced high mortality before reaching terminal size where late stage and often extreme cranial morphology is expressed.Methodology/principal findingsTyrannosaurus skeletons are as abundant as Edmontosaurus, an herbivore, in the upper Hell Creek Formation and nearly twice as common in the lower third of the formation. Smaller, predatory dinosaurs (e.g., Troodon and dromaeosaurids) are primarily represented by teeth found in microvertebrate localities and their skeletons or identifiable lag specimens were conspicuously absent. This relative abundance suggests Tyrannosaurus was not a typical predator and likely benefited from much wider food choice opportunities than exclusively live prey and/or specific taxa. Tyrannosaurus adults may not have competed with Tyrannosaurus juveniles if the potential for selecting carrion increased with size during ontogeny.Conclusions/significanceTriceratops is the most common dinosaur and isolated skulls contribute to a significant portion of this census. Associated specimens of Triceratops consisting of both cranial and postcranial elements remain relatively rare. This rarity may be explained by a historical collecting bias influenced by facies and taphonomic factors. The limited discovery of postcranial elements may also depend on how extensive a fossil quarry is expanded after a skull is collected.

Dataset Information

A new, transitional centrosaurine ceratopsid from the Upper Cretaceous Two Medicine Formation of Montana and the evolution of the 'Styracosaurus-line' dinosaurs.

Publications

A new, transitional centrosaurine ceratopsid from the Upper Cretaceous Two Medicine Formation of Montana and the evolution of the '<i>Styracosaurus</i>-line' dinosaurs.

Similar Datasets

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