| Agujaceratops | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Partial holotype skull, Texas Science & Natural History Museum | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | †Ornithischia |
| Family: | †Ceratopsidae |
| Subfamily: | †Chasmosaurinae |
| Genus: | †Agujaceratops Lucas, Sullivan & Hunt, 2006 |
| Type species | |
| †Agujaceratops mariscalensis (Lehman, 1989) | |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Agujaceratops (meaning "horned face from Aguja") is agenus of horneddinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of westTexas. It is achasmosaurine (long-frilled)ceratopsian. Two species are known,Agujaceratops mariscalensis, andA.mavericus.
In 1938, three dinosaur bone beds were excavated, and ceratopsian material was collected fromBig Bend National Park (Texas) by William Strain. This material was studied by Lehman in 1989 and namedChasmosaurus mariscalensis. It is known only from theholotypeUTEP P.37.7.086 a partial adultskull which includes abraincase, left supraorbitalhorncore, leftmaxilla and a rightdentary. Additional material was associated with the holotype, but not considered to be part of it.[1] All specimens ofAgujaceratops were collected from the lower part of the Upper Shale member of theAguja Formation, dating to about 77million years ago,[2] in theBig 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 asChasmosaurus mariscalensis by Lehman in1989, 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 in2006, and thetype species isAgujaceratops mariscalensis.[3]
Later, Lehman and colleagues revisited theAgujaceratops material and found substantial variation. They described the Rattlesnake Mountain skull as a new species,Agujaceratops mavericus.[4]
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 asPentaceratops 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 inPentaceratops andChasmosaurus, 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]
Two species are known,Agujaceratops mariscalensis andA.mavericus.A.mariscalensis has shorter brow horns and a shorter frill.[4]
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 ofcentrosaurine ceratopsids together - large bonebeds are known forCentrosaurus andPachyrhinosaurus, for example - bonebeds are rarer for chasmosaurines.[citation needed]
At the time, the Aguja Formation lay along the western margin of theWestern Interior Seaway. The habitatAgujaceratops 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 thefeathered dinosaurLeptorhynchos gaddisi and the smallpachycephalosaurTexacephale. Predators would have includedtyrannosaurs and the giantcrocodilianDeinosuchus riograndensis.[citation needed]
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