Serendipaceratops

Taxobox
name = "Serendipaceratops"
fossil_range = Early Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Ornithischia
infraordo = Ceratopsia
familia = ?Protoceratopsidae
genus = "Serendipaceratops"
genus_authority= Rich & Vickers-Rich, 2003
subdivision_ranks=Species
subdivision=
*"S. arthurcclarkei" Rich and Vickers-Rich, 2003 (type)

"Serendipaceratops" is a genus of early ceratopsian dinosaur from the early Cretaceous Period of Australia. Only about 2 meters (6 ft) long, it probably had only a very small neck frill and no horns, unlike the more familiar "Triceratops".

The type species, "S. arthurcclarkei", was named after Arthur C. Clarke, author of books such as "" and "Rendezvous with Rama", who first became interested in science as a child because he became fascinated by dinosaurs. Perhaps coincidentally, "Serendip" is a former name for Sri Lanka, Clarke's adoptive country.

Classification

"Serendipaceratops" was one of the earliest known ceratopsian dinosaurs; it is sometimes classified as a protoceratopsid. It is known only from one, or possibly two, ulnas; the first about 115 million years old. Another ceratopsian arm bone was also found at Dinosaur Cove, in south-west Victoria. It is a little younger at 106 million years old.

Discovery and species

The first known bone from "Serendipaceratops" was discovered in Australia near Kilcunda, on the south-east coast of Victoria, Australia. Initially, the discoverers, Tom Rich and Patricia Vickers-Rich, had not considered the possibility it may have been ceratopsian as at this would have been the last family of dinosaurs one would have expected to find evidence of in Australia. Instead they had tried to convince themselves it was a theropod bone. Some months later, however, on a visit to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta, Canada, they realised its striking similarity to the ulna of "Leptoceratops". Hence the genus name, referring to serendipity.

Implications for Ceratopsia

Until this find, all ceratopsian fossil remains have come from the Northern Hemisphere (notwithstanding one other dubious collection (of "Notoceratops" in South America). The finding of a protoceratopsid dinosaur on the opposite side of the world and antedating its namesake by 50 million years is an intriguing one. However, to be fair, the family does have members on both the Asian and North American continents.

References

* cite book
first= Tom
last= Rich
coauthors= Vickers-Rich, Patricia
year= 2000
title= Dinosaurs of Darkness
publisher= Allen & Unwin
location= Sydney
id= ISBN 0253337739

* [https://www.ga.gov.au/products/servlet/controller?event=GEOCAT_DETAILS&catno=61356 Geoscience Australia] (Department of Australian Government)
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2005/06/30/coast05walks_stage5.shtml BBC article] on 19 July 2005
* [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0329_040329_dinosaursexhibit_2.html Polar Dinos Spotlighted] in "Dinosaurs of Darkness" Exhibition National Geographic Article
* [http://www.planetdinosaur.com/dinosaurs/classification/protoceratopidae.htm Planet Dinosaur]
* [http://www.alphalink.com.au/~dannj/lepto.htm Dann's Dinosaur Info: Serendipaceratops]
* [http://home.earthlink.net/~misaak/taxonomy/taxEtym.html Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature - Etymologies]
* [http://www.users.qwest.net/~jstweet1/ceratopia.htm Ceratopia]
* [http://www.dinohunter.info/html/articles.htm#2003 www.dinohunter.info]
* [http://dinobase.gly.bris.ac.uk/frontend/dinobase_pageViewSpecies.php?id=1369 Dinobase] from [http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/ PALAEONTOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP University Of Bristol]