Auroraceratops

Say it like this: “a-RAW-ruh-SEH-ruh-tops”

Auroraceratops rugosus

Auroraceratops ate plants and walked on two legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in China.

Quiz me on Auroraceratops

When: Early Cretaceous (Albian) · roughly 113.2 to 100.5 million years ago
Named in: 2005 · You, H.; Li, D.; Ji, Q.; Lamanna, M. C.; Dodson, P.
Hip height: 0.4 m · 1 ft
Length: 1.2 m · 4 ft
Weight: 16 kg · 35 lb
Found in: China
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two legs
Kind: horned dinosaur · Ceratopsian
Family branch: Neoceratopsia

The story in short

Auroraceratops was formally named in 2005 by H. You and colleagues. The name means “horned face.”

It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Albian), roughly 113.2 to 100.5 million years ago. Finds come from China. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Auroraceratops at a length near 1.2 m, hips about 0.4 m high, and a body mass around 16 kg.

On the family tree it sits in Neoceratopsia, among the horned dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Aquilops

Aquilops americanus

Early Cretaceous (Albian) · roughly 113.2 to 100.5 million years ago

Archaeoceratops

Archaeoceratops oshimai

Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago

Asiaceratops

Asiaceratops salsopaludalis

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) · roughly 100.5 to 93.9 million years ago