| Welcome to Carnivora. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Ceratosaurus nasicornis | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Jan 8 2012, 01:17 PM (1,551 Views) | |
| Taipan | Jan 8 2012, 01:17 PM Post #1 |
Administrator
|
Ceratosaurus nasicornis Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Superorder: Dinosauria Order: Saurischia Suborder: Theropoda Infraorder: Ceratosauria Family: Ceratosauridae Genus: Ceratosaurus Species C. nasicornis (type) Marsh, 1884 C. ingens (Janensch, 1920) C. dentisulcatus Madsen & Wells, 2000 C. magnicornis Madsen & Wells, 2000 Ceratosaurus meaning 'horned lizard', in reference to the horn on its nose (Greek êåñáò/êåñáôïò, keras/keratos meaning 'horn' and óáõñïò/sauros meaning 'lizard'), was a large predatory dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Period, found in the Morrison Formation of North America, in Tanzania and Portugal. It was characterized by large jaws with blade-like teeth, a large, blade-like horn on the snout and a pair hornlets over the eyes. The forelimbs were powerfully built but very short. The bones of the sacrum were fused (synsacrum) and the pelvic bones were fused together and to this structure (Sereno 1997) (i.e. similar to modern birds). A row of small osteoderms was present down the middle of the back.  Discovery and species Ceratosaurus is known from the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in central Utah and the Dry Mesa Quarry in Colorado. The type species, described by O. C. Marsh in 1884 and redescribed by Gilmore in 1920, is Ceratosaurus nasicornis. Two further species were described in 2000, C. magnicornis, and dentisulcatus. C. magnicornis has a slightly rounder horn but is otherwise highly similar to C. nasicornis; C. dentisulatus is larger (over 7 meters), slightly more derived, and has an unknown horn shape (assuming it had them). The Portuguese remains have recently been ascribed to C. dentisulcatus (Mateus et al 2006). More additional species, including C. ingens and C. stechowi, have been described from less complete material. If C. ingens is valid, then at least one species of Ceratosaurus was as large as Torvosaurus and Epanterias that lived alongside it.  Paleobiology Ceratosaurus lived alongside dinosaurs such as Allosaurus, Torvosaurus, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus. It may have competed with Allosaurus for prey, though it was smaller at around 6 to 8 meters (20-27 feet) in length, 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall, and weighing 500 kg up to 1 tonne; it would have occupied a distinctly separate niche from its larger cousin which is estimated to have grown up to 12 metres in length with the largest definitive specimen of 9 metres. Ceratosaurus had a longer, more flexible body, with a deep tail shaped like that of a crocodilian. This suggests that it was a better swimmer than the stiffer Allosaurus. A recent study by Bakker suggested that Ceratosaurus generally hunted aquatic prey, such as fish and crocodiles, although it had potential for feeding on large dinosaurs. The study also suggests that sometimes adults and juveniles ate together. This evidence is debatable, and Ceratosaurus tooth marks are very common on large, terrestrial dinosaur prey fossils. Scavenging from corpses, smaller predators, and after larger ones also likely accounted for some of its diet.  Classification Relatives of Ceratosaurus include Genyodectes, Elaphrosaurus, and the abelisaur Carnotaurus. The classification of Ceratosaurus and its immediate relatives has been under intense debate recently. Ceratosaurus is unique in its characters; it is too advanced and basal tetanuran-like to be a large, late coelophysoid; and too primitive in many manners to be a true carnosaur. Its closest relatives appear to be the abelisaurs from the Cretaceous, but again, Ceratosaurus is an enigma in its existing tens of millions of years before them with no obvious Early Cretaceous link between them. In the past, Ceratosaurus, the Cretaceous abelisaurs, and the primitive coelophysoids were all grouped together and called Ceratosauria, defined as "theropods closer to Ceratosaurus than to Aves". Recent evidence, however, has shown large distinctions between the later, larger and more advanced ceratosaurs and earlier forms like Coelophysis. While considered distant from birds among the theropods, Ceratosaurus and its kin were still very bird-like, and even had a more avian tarsus than Allosaurus. As with all dinosaurs, the more fossils found of these animals, the better their evolution and relationships can be understood.  |
| |
 |
 
|
| Taipan | Jan 12 2012, 04:00 PM Post #2 |
|
Administrator
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| DinoLord | Jan 16 2012, 06:13 AM Post #3 |
 
|
The Ceratosaurus pictured in the Jp.org picture is to put it frankly, a movie monster. However, there have been isolated Ceratosaurus remains discovered that suggest animals of 30 feet in length or so. Also, it's interesting to note the size of Ceratosaurus' teeth. They're rather large, especially in juveniles. I've heard of specimens where the teeth extend beyond the lower jaw. |
|
|
|
| ShadowPredator | Jan 21 2012, 09:05 AM Post #4 |
|
The true king of the dinosaurs and My FAVORITE |
 PROBLEM? | |
|
|
|
| Megafelis Fatalis | Jan 21 2012, 07:29 PM Post #5 |
Prehistoric Cat - Megafelis Fatalis
|
Hell Raptor T-PEKC  Shartman  |
|
Prehistoric Cat - Megafelis Fatalis PaleoArt Blog - CarnivoraForum 
| |
|
|
|
| Megafelis Fatalis | Jan 21 2012, 07:31 PM Post #6 |
|
Prehistoric Cat - Megafelis Fatalis
|
Shartman I don't normally use photograph composites here, but I don't have time to illustrate the (more) juvenile specimen right now and when scaled it shows a very nice growth series. Also, note that the adult is NOT a new specimen...it was described 10 years ago and discovered in the 1970's. This shows the importance of doing reconstructions of every specimen I'd have to say. Anyways, the take-home message here is that the middle specimen is the USNM type (Smithsonian) and is what everyone thinks of when they think of Ceratosaurus. But 20-footers like that grow up to be something different and a bit more beastly... |
|
Prehistoric Cat - Megafelis Fatalis PaleoArt Blog - CarnivoraForum
| |
|
|
|
| ShadowPredator | Feb 7 2012, 12:35 PM Post #7 |
|
I read somewhere that Ceratosaurus was venomous... I can't remember where but I saw it recently and it was proven recently |
|
PROBLEM? | |
|
|
|
| Eotyrannus | Apr 5 2012, 05:38 AM Post #8 |
|
That was Sinornithosaurus, and it was proven to be an average part of Troodont skulls and a few loose teeth. Also, SO MANY BUNNY HANDS!!! |
|
|
|
| Temnospondyl | Apr 28 2012, 01:28 AM Post #9 |
Stegocephalia specialist.
|
Ah, Cerato! It's one of my favourite dinos!  
|
|
My blog on Carnivora Extinct animals wiki Speculative Evolution by Me 
| |
|
|
|
| Temnospondyl | Apr 28 2012, 02:23 AM Post #10 |
|
Stegocephalia specialist.
|
Edited by Wolf Eagle, Aug 29 2012, 07:10 AM.
|
|
My blog on Carnivora Extinct animals wiki Speculative Evolution by Me
| |
|
|
|
| theropod | May 5 2012, 08:07 PM Post #11 |
palaeontology, open source and survival enthusiast
|
|
Theropod My Website My Gallery My Blog My Youtube Channel | |
|
|
|
| Temnospondyl | Jan 5 2013, 04:47 AM Post #12 |
|
Stegocephalia specialist.
|
Ceratosaurus Nasicornis, by Me
|
|
My blog on Carnivora Extinct animals wiki Speculative Evolution by Me
| |
|
|
|
| Megafelis Fatalis | Mar 2 2013, 06:07 PM Post #13 |
|
Prehistoric Cat - Megafelis Fatalis
|
Ceratosaurus wasn't a wuss For this update I'm separating the C. dentisulcatus skeletal from the growth mashup so it can receive the rigorous skeletal treatment. For those looking for the (now renamed) growth series, you can find it here: [link] Although not as long as a full grown Allosaurus, this larger (full grown?) Ceratosaurus could probably have held its own just fine for the most part. Also, the preserved scapula is actually a right rather than a left, but I am showing it as a left for clarity. Or out of laziness, take your pick. P.S. While no pelvis has been published, it may not be as completely unknown as the rigorous skeletal suggests. Just say'in. shartman - deviantART |
|
Prehistoric Cat - Megafelis Fatalis PaleoArt Blog - CarnivoraForum
| |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Dinosauria Species profiles · Next Topic » |
3:50 AM May 22