The panel-mounted Anchiceratops

A little while ago - that is, during Ceratopsian Week - I discussed NMC 8538, the excellent articulated Anchiceratops ornatus specimen today displayed at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. Alas, while photos of the panel-mounted specimen were published by Lull (1933) and also by David Norman in his The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs, they're small and I don't have access to hi-res versions. Well, today we owe a substantial debt of gratitude to ReBecca Hunt-Foster of Dinochick Blogs for - ta-dah! - heeeeeeere's NMC 8538....

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As mentioned before, the specimen shows that Anchiceratops had particularly robust limbs and a very short tail. It also shows strongly back-swept ribs (that is, the ribs are in their correct, natural position), and a neck that is surprisingly long compared to what you might expect for a ceratopsian. Remember that the skull does not belong to NMC 8538. Here's the specimen again, this time with a pesky styracosaur (specifically, the Styracosaurus albertensis specimen NMC 344 - - with its over-long, reconstructed nasal horn) poking into shot...

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Many thanks again to ReBecca. Did I mention how awesome her blog is? Oh look: Aetogate. Oh, and here.. and here... and here. Hmm.

Ref - -

Lull, R. S. 1933. A revision of the Ceratopsia or horned dinosaurs. Memoirs of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 3, 1-175.

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That's an original specimen? Beautiful! Has there been a full description of the postcrania of Anchiceratops yet? If so, somebody needs to get on that. I'd humbly volunteer, but I'm a bit far away... :-)

Thanks Darren. You are too sweet. I am always glad to help when I can.

Zach: It is being worked on by Jordan Mallon at the University of Calgary. I can't wait for his paper! I would have to check but I believe his abstract for the Ceratopsid Symposium talked about it as well. Let me know if you do not have a copy of it.

Darren - you never answered my question as to why this specimen is assignable to Anchiceratops when it lacks a skull. Isn't it just Chasmosaurinae indet.? Or are there postcranial characters that diagnose Anchiceratops?

Jordan addresses this issue in a paper in the upcoming Ceratopsian Symposium volume. . .the answer probably won't surprise you!

Hi all, thanks for comments. Randy wrote...

Darren - you never answered my question as to why this specimen is assignable to Anchiceratops when it lacks a skull. Isn't it just Chasmosaurinae indet.? Or are there postcranial characters that diagnose Anchiceratops?

I did - you must have overlooked it. Go here.