Re: Theropod "migrations"

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/24/99 4:15:47 PM EST, Danvarner@aol.com writes:

<< If there was a robust Cretaceous land bridge, where are the Ceratopsidae 
in 
 Eastern Asia? They go back to the Turonian in North America. That old 
problem 
 raises its frilled head once again, unless there is something I've 
 missed--which is quite possible. Dan Varner. >>

There is one known ceratopid in central Asia, Turanoceratops, described by 
Nessov & Kazynshkina in 1989, with new material described by Nessov in 1995. 
It looked something like Montanoceratops from the US. But other than that, 
ceratopids don't seem to have gained a foothold in Asia the way they did in 
North America. Most of the ceratopids evolved post-Bering-land-bridge in 
North America, whereas there is a diverse assemblage of protoceratopids in 
Asia. Luck of the draw? From Tracy's files:

Genus: Turanoceratops NESSOV & KAZNYSHKINA, 1989
Etymology: Turan, a Persian name of Turkistan and Greek, ceratops, "horn 
face": "Turan horn face".

Species: tardabilis NESSOV & KAZNYSHKINA, 1989
Etymology:

Holotype: TsNIGR number #251/12457

Locality: 

Horizon:

Material: Left maxilla with teeth, and anterior, dorsal and posterior 
portions broken away.

Referred material: 

252/12457: 

253/12457: 

254/23457: Horn core.

255/12457: Horn core.

256/12457: 

Teeth, predentary, the medial portion of the parietal, squamosals, nasal and 
supraorbital horn cores, braincase, vertebrae and probable distal portion of 
a scapula.