_Turanoceratops tardabilis_

[Stang1996@aol.com]

<<pp. 54-57: _Turanoceratops tardabilis_ is referred to family
     Ceratopidae (as Ceratopsidae), subfamily Centrosaurinae;
     holotype is noted as TsNIGR museum #251/12457, a left
     maxilla, with teeth, and anterior, dorsal, and posterior
     portions broken away; referred material includes teeth,
     predentary, the medial portion of parietal, squamosals,
     nasal and supraorbital horn cores, braincase, vertebrae, and
     probable distal portion of scapula>>

So there are genuine Ceratopids running around Asia?  Weird!  This really
puts a wrench into theories of where Ceratopids evolved; did
"Protoceratopids" migrate to North America, evolve into Ceratopids and then
migrate back?  Or did Ceratopids evolve in Asia and migrate to North America
and become terribly successful, with only a few "Protoceratopids" migrating
with them, not evolving into anything?  The second case, in my opinion, is
the better of the two; but then again, that's my opinion.  I put
"Protoceratopidae" in quotes because I believe it to be paraphyletic.  Also,
Has the pterosaur previously called _Ornithodesmus_ been renamed?

Peter Buchholz
Stang1996@aol.com

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