The Agujaceratops was a ceratopsian dinosaur which is named after the Aguja formation in Texas where it was first discovered. Discovered in 1938, it is an interesting member of the ceratops, sporting the horns and large frill common for them.
In this article I am diving into what sets Agujaceratops apart, how it lived its life and what its ecosystem looked like, both in terms of food and predators. Also interesting is that Agujaceratops was actually identified as a different species early on, and it was only made its own genus in 2006.
Key Facts
| Agujaceratops pronunciation | a-gu-ha-serra-tops |
| Meaning of name | Horned face from Aguja |
| Group | Ornithopod |
| Type Species | Agujaceratops mariscalensis |
| Sub species | A. mavericus |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| When it Lived | 83.5 to 70.6 MYA |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Epoch | Judithian to Late Campanian |
| Length | 14 ft |
| Height | 6.5-7.5 ft |
| Weight | 1.7 US tons |
| Mobility | Moved on all four |
| First Discovery | 1938 by William Strain |
| Location of first find | Texas, USA |
| First Described by | 1989 by Thomas Lehman |
| Holotype | UTEP P.37.7.086 |
Origins -Taxonomy, Timeline, and Discovery
The name Agjucaceratops was given to it in 2006 when it was first decribed as its own genus in a paper by Spencer Lucas, R. Sullivan and A. Hunt. Named after the Aguja Formation in Texas, it was formerly known as Chasmosaurus mariscalensis.
It is part of the ornithopod group, and in the ceratopsian family, known for their large frills and horned faces. The type species is named Agujaceratops mariscalensis
There are two species of Agujaceratops known, the A. mariscalensis, and the sub species A. mavericus. I haven’t been able to find out the inspiration for the name Mavericus, but have to admit it’s pretty cool.
The Agujaceratops lived during the Late Cretaceous period. The age of the discovered remains place it in the Judithian to the Late Campanian epoch, between 83.5 and 70.6 million years ago.
The first discovery of the Agujaceratops was made in 1938 in Texas, USA, by William Strain. However, at the time they didn’t do a thorough description. First described by Thomas Lehman in 1989, over half a century later, it was misidentified as belonging to the Chasmosaurus species. It was given the name Chasmosaurus mariscalensis, which stuck until the reavaluation in 2006.
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Fossil Evidence
First unearthed in Texas, USA, in 1938, the initial find consisted of ceratopsian material collected from the Aguja Formation in Big Bend National Park in Texas, USA by William Strain. The sub-species A. mavericus is based on an almost complete skull found in a different part of the Aguja Formation called Rattlesnake Mountain.
The holotype includes a partial adult skull—a braincase, left supraorbital horncore, left maxilla, and a right dentary. Additional material was associated with the holotype but was not considered part of it.
The Agujaceratops has also been found in two separate finds in Parque Nacional Cañon de Santa Elena, in the Chihuahua (state) of Mexico. These fossils have provided valuable insights into the physical characteristics of this dinosaur and its place in the Late Cretaceous ecosystem as well as expanding our knowledge on its geographical range.
Agujaceratops Size and Description
Agujaceratops mariscalensis was a relatively large ceratopsian dinosaur that was similar to other chasmosaurines such as Pentaceratops in having a short nose horn, long brow horns, and an elongated frill circled by small hornlets.
The back of the frill has a strong notch, as in Pentaceratops and Chasmosaurus, giving it a heart shape with three or four pairs of spike-like hornlets. The edges of the frill bear numerous low, blunt hornlets, giving it a strongly scalloped appearance. Moreover, the brow horns are oriented up and out, and curve backward in the side view.
Size and Weight of Type Species
The Agujaceratops was a sizable creature, with estimates placing its length at around 14 feet and its weight at approximately 1.7 US tons. These estimates are based on the fossils that have been discovered, which include a nearly complete skull and various other skeletal elements but, as with all extinct creatures, these measurements are estimates and may vary.
The Dinosaur in Detail
As with any ceratopsian, one of the most striking features of the Agujaceratops is its frill. This large, bony structure, adorned with small hornlets, extended from the back of its skull. The frill’s purpose is still a subject of debate among paleontologists. Some suggest it was used for defense. Another theory is that it played a role in temperature regulation or was used for display during mating rituals.
The Agujaceratops also had two long, curved horns extending from its brow. These horns, paired with its nose horn, gave it a formidable appearance and it’s likely that these horns were used for defense against predators or perhaps in battles for dominance within the herd. This large dinosaur was similar to others in its family with its herbivorous diet and four-legged, or quadrupedal, movement.
The Agujaceratops in its Natural Habitat and Environment
The Agujaceratops lived during the Late Cretaceous period, a time when the Earth was a very different place than it is today. While most of the continents had moved to the positions we see them in today, North America was still split in two by a large inland sea. As such, Agujaceratops could be found on the western half of North America known as Laramidia. The climate here was warmer and sea levels were higher. The landscape was dominated by vast forests and swamps, providing an abundant source of food for this herbivorous dinosaur.
As an herbivore, Agujaceratops would have feasted on the plentiful vegetation provided by this environment. Using its sharp beak to tear off leaves and branches. It’s likely that it had a preference for certain types of plants, although we can’t be sure exactly which ones.
It was a four-legged dinosaur, and its size and formidable horns would have made it a challenging prey for any predator. It’s possible that it lived in herds, offering further protection from predators.
Interesting Points
- It was initially mistaken for a different dinosaur, the Chasmosaurus, and was only recognized as a distinct genus in 2006.
- It is known from a relatively small number of fossils. However, these include a nearly complete skull, which has provided valuable insights into its appearance and lifestyle.
- The name means ‘Horned face from Aguja’, reflecting its distinctive horns and the location of its discovery in the Aguja Formation in Texas.
- It lived during the Late Cretaceous period, a time when dinosaurs were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates.
- Despite being an herbivore, it had a daunting appearance because of its large size, distinctive frill, and long, curved horns.
Contemporary Dinosaurs
Agujaceratops shared the stage with a great many contemporaries. Each of these Laramidian dinosaurs served as a reminder of the survival and competition that was characteristic of this time.
The Alamosaurus was a titan of its time. Towering above the Agujaceratops, its sheer size and strength a stark contrast to our main dinosaur’s more modest stature. With its long neck, this larger herbivore would have grazed on the high tree canopies. Agujaceratops, with its lower stature and robust beak, would have focused on lower-growing vegetation.
The herbivorous Edmontosaurus also shared this world with Agujaceratops. However, this dinosaur, with its duck-billed snout—likely had a different feeding strategy that focused on soft plants and possibly aquatic vegetation. Therefore, this difference in diet would have allowed these two herbivores to coexist without significant competition for food resources.
The Triceratops, another contemporary herbivore, shared a similar defensive strategy with its large horns and frill that could have been used to fend off predators. This similar adaptation creates a parallel between the survival strategies of these two herbivores.
The Tyrannosaurus would have served as the dominant threat to these herbivores. With its impressive frill and piercing horns, the Agujaceratops may have been able to defend itself even from the terrifying Tyrannosaurus rex. Nonetheless, the constant threat from this predator would have added a layer of tension to the ecosystem. Through this exploration of friends and foes, we gain a deeper understanding of the Agujaceratops’s life and its relationships with its contemporaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
The name means ‘Horned face from Aguja’. Based on its ceratopsian horns and the location of its discovery in the Aguja Formation in Texas.
It lived during the Late Cretaceous period, specifically from the Judithian to the Late Campanian epoch. This places its existence between 83.5 and 70.6 million years ago.
As an herbivore, it would have feasted on the plentiful vegetation of its time.
Estimates place its length at around 14 feet and its weight at approximately 1.7 US tons.
The first discovery was made in Texas, USA. Later finds have also been made in the same region, as well as in Mexico.
It was first discovered by William Strain in 1938, but it was first described by Thomas Lehman in 1989.
Sources
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281624533_Re-evaluation_of_Pentaceratops_and_Chasmosaurus_Ornithischia_Ceratopsidae_in_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_the_Western_Interior
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/abs/mojoceratops-perifania-a-new-chasmosaurine-ceratopsid-from-the-late-campanian-of-western-canada/D224E21D7BE8A7A1F8372BF62AFD0C94
- https://www.academia.edu/3462583/A_New_Chasmosaurine_Ceratopsid_from_the_Judith_River_Formation_Montana
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agujaceratops
Article last fact checked: Marius, 25-12-2024
Featured Image Credit: Lineart by Robinson Kunz, Color by Rebecca Slater , CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
