Ajkaceratops

Ősi, A., Butler, R.J. & Weishampel, D.B. 2010. A Late Cretaceous ceratopsian dinosaur from Europe with Asian affinities. Nature 465: 466–468. doi: 10.1038/nature09019 [link]

"Figure 1: Anatomy of Ajkaceratops kozmai gen. et sp. nov." 

image from paper.

Ceratopsians (horned dinosaurs) represent a highly diverse and abundant radiation of non-avian dinosaurs known primarily from the Cretaceous period (65–145 million years ago). This radiation has been considered to be geographically limited to Asia and western North America with only controversial remains reported from other continents. Here we describe new ceratopsian cranial material from the Late Cretaceous of Iharkút, Hungary, from a coronosaurian ceratopsian, Ajkaceratops kozmai. Ajkaceratops is most similar to ‘bagaceratopsids’ such as Bagaceratops and Magnirostris, previously known only from Late Cretaceous east Asia. The new material unambiguously demonstrates that ceratopsians occupied Late Cretaceous Europe and, when considered with the recent discovery of possible leptoceratopsid teeth from Sweden, indicates that the clade may have reached Europe on at least two independent occasions. European Late Cretaceous dinosaur faunas have been characterized as consisting of a mix of endemic ‘relictual’ taxa and ‘Gondwanan’ taxa, with typical Asian and North American groups largely absent. Ajkaceratops demonstrates that this prevailing biogeographical hypothesis is overly simplified and requires reassessment. Iharkút was part of the western Tethyan archipelago, a tectonically complex series of island chains between Africa and Europe, and the occurrence of a coronosaurian ceratopsian in this locality may represent an early Late Cretaceous ‘island-hopping’ dispersal across the Tethys Ocean.

Thanks to TH for the heads up!

The Year in Dinosaurs, 2008

Jerry Harris (with the help of PaleoBlogger Thom Holmes) has complied a list of all the Dinosaur papers published in 2008. “This is, of course, by no means a complete list,” explains Jerry. “It is just a list of what I've managed to get and catalog (generally not including abstract-only entries). I probably missed some things (particularly papers in books...sometimes I'm forced to leave cataloging those 'til later due to time constraints). Nevertheless, the list includes 718 items cataloged with 2008 or 2009 dates on them. Some of the references in the attached list aren't strictly dinosaurs (concerning, say, temnospondyl amphibians, crocodylomorphs, mammals, anatomy, physiology, sedimentology, etc.); mostly I try and collect things that are relevant to Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems, focusing on dinosaurs and their associated biotas and environments. ...”

Text cloud for two of my papers

I have totally ripped off this idea off from Brian over at Clastic Detritus. Check his text clouds out! Since I wrote this (I was delaying posting it, but I guess I'll stop), Chuck over at Lab Lemming and Maria of Green Gabbro have done the same, so on the band wagon I jump. These are based on recent works of mine that are in their final stages of the review process. This first one is a paper I will have in the Ceratopsid symposium book with Andy Farke.

accumulations agujaceratops alberta although animals assemblages based behavior bonebeds centrosaurine centrosaurus ceratopsids chasmosaurine data depositional differences dinosaur drought energy environments evidence floodplain formation gregarious groups herding hunt indicate individuals juvenile known lack least monodominant montana number overbank park possible present preserved provincial remains represent site social species taxa taxon

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This one is based on my thesis work, which I have submitted to the Journal of Paleontology. Since it is still in review I have taken the liberty to remove a few words that might give away to much. Hopefully I can tell you more about this really soon! I am not playing the suck up game as far as any of my former committee members go, as I have deleted any and all references and citations from the list.

along although bar bones broad ceratopsid chasmosaurines chasmosaurus collected compared distal dorsal elements epiparietals form formation fragment fragmentary horncore horridus identified javelina lateral length margin mariscalensis material medial midline museum parietal parts pentaceratops posterior preserved process proximal ratio referred relatively similar size species specimens squamosal sternbergi surface suture triceratops variation

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Update: Since posting this 3 others have followed: Kim at a"All My Faults are Stress Related" (such a great title for a blog!), Chris over at "Highly Allochthonous," and Silver Fox over at "Looking for Detachment"...check them out! :)