Pronunciation: GRIF-o-SEH-ruh-tops
Meaning: Horn-faced Giffin
Author/s: Ryan, Evans, Currie, et al. (2012)
Synonyms: 'Gryphognathus'
First Discovery: Alberta, Canada
Discovery Chart Position: #808
Gryphoceratops morrisoni
Gryphoceratops was the first named dinosaur of 2012, but it didn't get off to the best of starts. Aside from a brouhaha over listed and actual publication dates, and breached embargoes thanks to new-fangled online publication trends, there were murmurings that what was rumoured to be its chosen name (Gryphognathus) had already been assigned to an extinct genus of long-snouted Lungfish from the Late Devonian period of Europe and Australia.
As it happens, Gryphognathus the dinosaur and Griphognathus the lungfish, differed in one single letter which would have been enough to separate them, a' la Kentrosaurus and Centrosaurus. But the two names were too close for comfort, so the authors coined Gryphoceratops for its official publication. Apparently, the name "Gryphognathus" was never finalised in any case.
Although Gryphoceratops represents the oldest known member of Leptoceratopsidae—the small-bodied, short-frilled, robust-jawed branch of Ceratopsia—based on the Santonian age of the ground where it was found, cladistic analysis found it to be one of the most advanced. It has a shorter and deeper jaw than any of its brethren, and is the smallest adult-sized ceratopsian (horn face) known from North America. Funnily enough, leptoceratopsids don't have horns on their faces.
As it happens, Gryphognathus the dinosaur and Griphognathus the lungfish, differed in one single letter which would have been enough to separate them, a' la Kentrosaurus and Centrosaurus. But the two names were too close for comfort, so the authors coined Gryphoceratops for its official publication. Apparently, the name "Gryphognathus" was never finalised in any case.
Although Gryphoceratops represents the oldest known member of Leptoceratopsidae—the small-bodied, short-frilled, robust-jawed branch of Ceratopsia—based on the Santonian age of the ground where it was found, cladistic analysis found it to be one of the most advanced. It has a shorter and deeper jaw than any of its brethren, and is the smallest adult-sized ceratopsian (horn face) known from North America. Funnily enough, leptoceratopsids don't have horns on their faces.
(Horn-faced Griffin)Etymology
Gryphoceratops is derived from "gryphon" (a mythical lion-eagle critter, commonly known as a "Griffin") because of the beak-like "hook" on the tip of its lower jaw, and the Greek "ceras" (horn) and "ops" (face).
The species epithet, morrisoni, honours Royal Ontario Museum technician Ian Morrison in recognition of his expert preparation of the holotype jaw and his contributions to vertebrate paleontology.
Discovery
The remains of Gryphoceratops were discovered in the Black Coulee (formerly Deadhorse Coulee) Member of the Milk River Formation, 10 km east of
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and 50 km southeast of the village of Warner, Alberta, Canada, in 1950 by Levi Sternberg whilst working for the Royal Ontario Museum.The holotype (ROM 56635) is a partial right dentary (tooth-bearing bone of the lower jaw).
Preparator
Ian Morrison of the Royal Ontario Museum.
