Protoceratopsids [2] ( lat. Protoceratopsidae ), or protoceratopids ( lat. Protoceratopidae ) [3] - a family of poultry dinosaurs from the ceratops infraorder. They lived in the Cretaceous period on the territory of modern Asia , North America , and some finds made at the beginning of the XXI century indicate that protocerapsides also lived in the Southern Hemisphere . This dinosaur family owes its name to the most studied representative - protoceratops. Translated from Latin, protoceratops means "the precursor of ceratops."
| † Protoceratopsides |
The skeleton of protoceratops |
| Scientific classification |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetric |
| Infraclass : | Archosauromorphs |
| No rank : | Archosauriformes |
| Infrastructure : | † Ceratops |
| Family: | † Protoceratopsides |
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| International Scientific Name |
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Protoceratopsidae
Granger & Gregory , 1923 |
| Synonyms |
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- Protoceratopidae, orth. var. [one]
- Protoceratopsinae, orth. var. [one]
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The discoveries of the second half of the XX and the beginning of the XXI centuries showed that these “predecessors of the ceratopsp” are a rather diverse group in which protoceratops occupies a separate position. Morphological specificity, taxonomic diversity, and wide distribution make it possible to speak of more than one family. The following families can be found in the scientific literature: archaeoceptopsids, leptocerapopsids, bagaceratopsids and protoceratopsids. The use of the term “protoceratopside”, regardless of whether it belongs to a particular family, remains relevant.
In their structure, they occupy an intermediate position between psittacosaurids and ceratopsids . Developed in parallel with ceratopsids.
Classification
- Protoceratopsid family
- Genus Archaeoceratops (Archeoceratops)
- Genus Graciliceratops (Graziliceratops) - (Mongolia)
- Genus Bagaceratops (Bagaceratops) - (Mongolia)
- Genus Breviceratops (Breviceratops) - (Mongolia)
- Genus Lamaceratops (Lamaceratops) - (Mongolia)
- Genus Leptoceratops (Leptoceratops)
- Genus Magnirostris (Mangnirostris) - (Mongolia, China)
- Genus Microceratops (Microceratops)
- Genus Montanoceratops (Montanoceratops)
- Genus Platyceratops (Platiceratops) - (Mongolia)
- Genus Prenoceratops (Prenoceratops)
- Genus Protoceratops ( Protoceratops ) - (Mongolia)
- Genus Udanoceratops (Udanoceratops)
Each genus is represented by one species, with the exception of the genus of protoceratops, which includes two known species. In 2010, the dinosaur Ajkaceratops , which probably also belongs to protoceratopsids, was found and studied in Hungary , however, its exact affiliation is difficult to establish due to insufficient number of bones.
Phylogenetic tree
| Ceratopsia | | Protoceratopsidae |
| Bagaceratops |
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| Protoceratops |
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