Liaoceratops

Say it like this: “lyow-serra-tops”

Liaoceratops yanzigouensis

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

Quiz me on Liaoceratops

When: Early Cretaceous (Barremian) · roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago
Named in: 2002 · Xu, X.; Makovicky, P. J.; Wang, X. L.; Norell, M. A.; You, H. L.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 0.5 m · 2 ft
Weight: 2 kg · 4 lb
Found in: China · Yixian
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two legs
Kind: horned dinosaur · Ceratopsian
Family branch: Neoceratopsia

The story in short

The genus Liaoceratops dates to 2002, the year X. Xu and colleagues described it. The name means “liaoning horned face.”

Fossils referred to Liaoceratops date to the Early Cretaceous (Barremian), roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Yixian Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Liaoceratops at a length near 0.5 m and a body mass around 2 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