A subadult specimen of Rubeosaurus ovatus (Dinosauria: Ceratopsidae), with observations on other ceratopsids from the two medicine formation.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 21853043.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0022710 and PMC identifier PMC3154267.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Centrosaurine ceratopsids are well known from the middle Campanian Upper Two Medicine Formation of Montana. Four taxa have been named: Brachyceratops montanensis, Rubeosaurus ovatus, Einiosaurus procurvicornis, and Achelousaurus horneri. Rubeosaurus has been historically the most enigmatic of these taxa; only two specimens, the holotype caudal parietal bar and a referred incomplete skull, have been assigned to Rubeosaurus. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A revised interpretation of the parietal processes of USNM 14765, the partial skeleton of a subadult centrosaurine formerly referred to Brachyceratops, indicates that it shares a P5 spike with the holotype of Rubeosaurus ovatus and should therefore be referred to that taxon. Brachyceratops is considered a nomen dubium. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: USNM 14765 provides additional anatomical information for Rubeosaurus ovatus. These new data are incorporated into a recent phylogenetic analysis of centrosaurine relationships; Rubeosaurus appears as the sister taxon of a clade composed of Einiosaurus, Achelousaurus, and Pachyrhinosaurus.