After reaching full maturity, adult beetles would have then dig back to the surface, most likely leaving borings through bones, and finally beginning to search for new carcasses and thus continuing the recycling of Protoceratops carcasses. [53], In 2019 Czepiski analyzed a vast majority of referred specimens to the ceratopsians Bagaceratops and Breviceratops, and concluded that most were in fact specimens of the former. (plus 4 other paragraphs) Animal Characteristics: Habitat: Desert; Location: Asia; Era: Cretaceous Minimum happiness needed for chance of breeding: 95. [69], Gregory and Mook in 1925 suggested that Protoceratops was partially aquatic because of its large feetbeing larger than the handsand the very long neural spines found in the caudal (tail) vertebrae. Protoceratops Shared its Habitat with Oviraptor. Stumper. In the 2000s during the preparation of the specimen, a fossilized cast of a four-toed digitigrade footprint was found below the pelvic girdle. Such use of the frill may suggest that intraspecific social behavior was highly important for Protoceratops. Second group had a fairly rounded posterior border of the squamosal, and a long and well-developed bony ridge on the posterior border of the parietal bone. The capitular facet (attachment site for chevrons; also known as cervical ribs) was formed by a low projection located near the base of the neural arch. [3] In the same year, Granger and William K. Gregory formally described the new genus and species Protoceratops andrewsi based on the holotype skull. [78], Barsbold in 1974 shortly described the Fighting Dinosaurs specimen and discussed possible scenarios. [68] In addition, the high occurrence of protoceratopsid fossils in arid-deposited formations indicates that these ceratopsians preferred warm environments. From subadult to adult individuals, the squamosal bone increased in size more than the parietal bone, and the frill expanded to a top direction. . Protoceratops | dinosaur genus | Britannica - Encyclopedia Britannica Tambin contaba con un pico similar al de las tortugas, junto a una cresta pequea y una gorguera al final de la cabeza. The surfaces around the epijugal were coarse, indicating that it was covered by a horny sheath. The jaw morphology of Protoceratopsmore suitable for processing plant materialand its extreme abundance indicate it was not a predator, so if it was a diurnal animal, then it would have been expected to have a much smaller sclerotic ring size. [11], In 2014 David W. E. Hone and colleagues reported and described two blocks containing death assemblages of P. andrewsi from Tugriken Shireh. The Protoceratops bit the right hand of the predator, implying that it was unable to escape. "It took up about a quarter of its whole body length, which is an unbelievably big skull," says Barrett. [95][96], Protoceratops is known from most localities of the Djadokhta Formation in Mongolia, which dates back to the Late Cretaceous about 71 million to 75 million years ago, being deposited during a rapid sequence of polarity The two last dorsal ribs were the smallest, and the last of them was in contact with the internal surfaes of the ilium. In P. hellenikorhinus this boss was divided in two sharp and long ridges. Populations of P. andrewsi may have evolved into Bagaceratops through anagenesis. Later members, including ceratopsids like Centrosaurus and Triceratops, became very large quadrupeds and . Estima-se que Triceratops individuais atingiam entre 7,9 e 9,0 m de comprimento, e entre 2,9 e 3,0 m de altura, [17] e pesado entre 6,1 e 12 toneladas [18] A sua caracterstica mais distinta o seu grande crnio, o maior de todos entre os animais terrestres.O maior crnio conhecido (o espcime BYU12183) tinha um tamanho estimado em 2.5 m.de comprimento quando completo, [9] e . Found as fossils in deposits from the Late Cretaceous Period (about 100 million to 65.5 million years ago) of eastern Asia and North America, Oviraptor was about 1.8 metres (6 feet) long and walked on two long, well-developed hind limbs. Protoceratops - Wikipedia [90] Other dinosaur members include the alvarezsaurid Linhenykus;[91] ankylosaurid Pinacosaurus mephistocephalus;[92][93] and closely related protoceratopsid Bagaceratops. According these differences, four groups were identified, concluding that individual variation was extended to the vertebral column of Protoceratops. janetteasche / Getty Images. Protoceratops pronunciation: Protoceratops can be read as, "pro-toe-ker-ah-tops". It is generally accepted that they were buried alive by either a collapsed dune or sandstorm. The nest (MPC-D 100/530) containing 15 articulated juveniles was collected from the Tugriken Shireh locality of the Djadokhta Formation during the work of Mongolian-Japanese paleontological expeditions. The epijugal (tip region of the jugal) was separated from the jugal by a prominent suture; this suture was more noticeable in adults. A digging action with the hindlimbs was likely facilitated by the strong caudofemoralis muscle and its large feet equipped with flat, shovel-like unguals. The rostral bone was devoid of teeth, high and triangular in shape. The Velociraptor has its right leg pinned under the Protoceratops body with its left sickle claw oriented into the throat region. Protoceratops - Wikipedia ting Vit [43] Although similar in overall body size, the latter had a relatively greater skull length. Protoceratops, meaning "First-Horned Face" is a ceratopsian dinosaur that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous, 75 million years ago. A green oasis has popped up in Hanoi, a city choked by smog. 5). Most individuals are preserved with their forelimbs splayed and hindlimbs are extended, an arrangement that suggests that young Protoceratops tried to push against the powerful airstream in the initially loose sand. [37] However, although the initial perception was that the entire skin-like layer had been removed, photographs shared by Czepiski during the same year have revealed that the right side of the skull remains intact, retaining much of this layer and pending further analysis. They noted that whereas photopic (diurnal) animals have smaller sclerotic rings, scotopic (nocturnal) animals tend to have more enlarged rings. [13] Specimens from this locality are usually found in articulation, suggesting possible mass mortality events. [27] Moreover, phylogenetic analyses published in 2008 by Darla K. Zelenitsky and Franois Therrien have shown that Protoceratopsidovum represents the eggs of a maniraptoran more derived than oviraptorids and not Protoceratops. They laid soft-shelled eggs, a rare occurrence in dinosaurs. The team referred these elements to Protoceratops and Velociraptor mainly based on their abundance across the unit, although they admitted that reported remains could represent different, yet related taxa (in this case, Linheraptor instead of Velociraptor). The premaxilla had two alveoli on its lower edgea character that was present at least on P. andrewsi. In the Late Cretaceous, about 100 million years ago, the ceratopsians began to diversify in North America and in Asia. Fastovsky pointed out these two factors combined indicate that this site was host to high biotic activity, mainly composed of arthropod scavengers who were also involved in the recycling of Protoceratops carcasses. During burial, the animals were most likely not completely restricted in their movements at all, given that the individuals of MPC-D 100/526 are in relatively normal life positions and have not been disturbed. This resulted in the interpretation of the contemporary Oviraptor as an egg predatory animal, an interpretation also reflected in its generic name. The most famous desert of the Mesozoic Era, the Gobi of central Asia, was inhabited by three very familiar dinosaursProtoceratops, Oviraptor, and Velociraptor.In fact, the entwined fossils of a Protoceratops locked in combat with a Velociraptor were preserved by a . Oviraptor | dinosaur genus | Britannica This feeding method was likely more efficient in protoceratopsids as the enamel surface of Protoceratops was coarsely-textured and the tips of the micro-serrations developed on the basis of the teeth, probably helping to crumble vegetation. [7] During the 1960s to 1970s, Polish-Mongolian and Russian-Mongolian paleontological expeditions collected new, partial to complete specimens of Protoceratops at this locality, making this dinosaur species a common occurrence in Tugriken Shireh. Gregory miu t nm 1923, Protoceratops ban u c cho l t tin ca . Kirkland and Bader concluded that adults of a large beetle taxon would detect decaying carcasses buried below the sand and dig down in order to feed and lay their eggs. [14], Protoceratopsid remains were recovered in the 1970s from the Khulsan locality of the Barun Goyot Formation, Mongolia, during the work of several Polish-Mongolian paleontological expeditions. Protoceratops was initially believed to be an ancestor of ankylosaurians and larger ceratopsians, such as Triceratops and relatives, until the discoveries of other protoceratopsids. Since Protoceratops fossils are only found in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and this specimen was likely discovered during the Central Asiatic Expeditions, the team concluded that this skull was probably acquired by the Delft University between 1940 and 1972 as part of a collection transfer. The squamosal touched the jugal (cheekbone) and was very enlarged and high having a curved end that built the borders of the frill. He identified types A and B, both of them sharing the elongated shape. The ulna was a rather short bone with a straight shape. In a top view they had a triangular shape and were joined by the frontals (bones of the skull roof). [32], Osmlska in 1993 proposed another two hypotheses in order to explain their preservation. The second premaxillary tooth was larger than the first one. The foremost hole, the nares (nostril opening), was oval-shaped and considerably smaller than the nostrils seen in ceratopsids. Like other ceratopsians, it had a rostral bone on the upper beak and a small frill around the . Lastly, both animals were buried by sand. The hindlimbs of Protoceratops were rather long, with a slighter longer tibia (lower leg bone) than femur (thigh bone). [23], As part of the Third Central Asiatic Expedition of 1923, Andrews and team discovered the holotype specimen of Oviraptor in association with some of the first known fossilized dinosaur eggs (nest AMNH 6508), in the Djadokhta Formation. Its average size was about 1.8 meters long and 1 meters high 3. [5][46][47], The dorsal vertebrae were similar in shape and size. Diabloceratops was a medium-sized, moderately built, ground-dwelling, quadrupedal herbivore, that could grow up . [28] The description of the eggshell of Protoceratopsidovum has further confirmed that they in fact belong to a maniraptoran, possibly deinonychosaur taxon. [9] In 1998, paleontologist Paul Sereno formally defined Protoceratopsidae as the branch-based clade including all coronosaurs closer to Protoceratops than to Triceratops. Protoceratops was a herbivore. [36], Also from the context of the Polish-Mongolian paleontological expeditions, in 1965 an articulated subadult Protoceratops skeleton (specimen ZPAL Mg D-II/3) was collected from the Bayn Dzak locality of the Djadokhta Formation. Most of them had differences in the same exact vertebra, such as the shape and proportions of the vertebral centra and orientation of neural arches. Other changes during ontogeny include the elongation of the premaxillary teeth that are smaller in juveniles and enlarged in adults, and the enlargement of middle neural spines in the tail or caudal vertebrae, which appear to grow much taller when approaching adulthood. Something like 108 individual dinosaur specimens were collected by the American Museum of Natural History field teams between 1922 and 1925, all but seven of them represented Protoceratops andrewsi. - Wikipedia Although it lacked the horns of later species, Protoceratops had a distinct bump above its nostrils and thickened bone over its eye sockets. Descrio. Diet: herbivorous Teeth: shearing and grinding teeth with a horny beak at the front Food: plant material How it moved: on 4 legs When it lived: Protoceratops. The difference in morphologies between Protoceratops also suggests that the nearby Bayan Mandahu Formation is slightly younger than the Djadokhta Formation. Given that the Velociraptor is relatively complete, Carpenter suggested that it may have been completely or partially buried by sand. They also pointed out that while taxa such as Leptoceratops and Montanoceratops are recovered from fluvial sediments, they are estimated to be some of the poorest swimmers. This family was characterized by their overall primitive morphology in comparison to the more derived Ceratopsidae, such as lack of well-developed horn cores and relative smaller body size. Griffins were described as lion-sized quadrupeds with large claws and a raptor-bird-like beak; they laid their eggs in nests on the ground. The co-authors also agreed with Osborn in that Asia, if more explored, could solve many major evolutionary gaps in the fossil record. The team also noted the presence of borings on the skulls and skeletons of both assemblages, and these may have been produced by insect larvae after the animals died. In this formation, P. hellenikorhinus is the representative species, and it shared its paleoenvironment with numerous dinosaurs such as dromaeosaurids Linheraptor and Velociraptor osmolskae;[87][88] oviraptorids Machairasaurus and Wulatelong;[55][89] and troodontids Linhevenator, Papiliovenator, and Philovenator. [33], In 1995 David M. Unwin and colleagues cast doubt on previous explanations especially a scavenging hypothesis as there were numerous indications of a concurrent death event. Like Triceratops, its North American relative, Protoceratops walked on 4 legs, was heavily built, and had a parrot-like beak. First group includes individuals with a well-developed bony ridge on the lateral surface of the squamosal bone, and the posterior border of the squamosal is backwards oriented. Deserts present a harsh ecological challenge to all forms of life, and dinosaurs were no exception. Much in contrast to the Fighting Dinosaurs specimen, the tooth marks are inferred to have been produced by the dromaeosaurid during late-stage carcass consumption either during scavenging or following a group kill. The examined fossil bones indicated that Protoceratops slowed its ontogeny (growth) around 910 years of life, and it ceased around 1113 years. A horn-like structure was present over the nose, which varied from a single structure in P. andrewsi to a double, paired structure in P. hellenikorhinus. It belonged to a group of dinosaurs called the Cerapoda. [5] In 1972 Kurzanov made comparisons between P. andrewsi skulls from Bayn Dzak and Tugriken Shireh, noting differences on the nasal horn within populations. . Protoceratops is nevertheless significant in its discovery as it has revealed many fascinating insights into dinosaur life. The large numbers of remains found relatively close to one another is taken as evidence of herding behaviour. Preservation of the scleral rings indicates a cathermal lifestyle meaning that Protoceratops was . . KoreaceratopsA Swimming Ceratopsian? | Science| Smithsonian Magazine To accommodate this equipment, the skull of Protoceratops was almost comically large compared to the rest of its body, giving it a distinctly "top . Tiny dinos with fancy neck frills were big showoffs | Live Science As the latter type of sediments is also found in the Bayan Mandahu Formation, it is likely that P. hellenikorhinus preferred environments combining humid and arid conditions. The first point was supported by the numerous anatomical differences between protoceratopsids and psittacosaurids, most notably the extreme reduction of some hand digits in the latter groupa trait much less pronounced in protoceratopsids. Individuals with a high nasal horn, massive prefrontals, and frontoparietal depression were tentatively determined as males. (Cretaceous, Campanian), Mongolia", "Insect Trace Fossils Associated with Protoceratops Carcasses in the Djadokhta Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Mongolia: Forensic Entomology in the Upper Cretaceous", "Trace fossils on dinosaur bones from Upper Cretaceous eolian deposits in Mongolia: Taphonomic interpretation of paleoecosystems in ancient desert environments", "Trace fossils on dinosaur skeletons from the Upper Cretaceous of Gobi desert, Mongolia", "Why Protoceratops almost certainly wasn't the inspiration for the griffin legend", Footage from the Third Central Asiatic Expedition, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Protoceratops&oldid=1139818722, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 01:55. Protoceratops - Dinosaur Facts for Kids Protoceratops (/protosrtps/; lit. Witton goes on to point out that the wings of traditional griffins are positioned above the shoulder blades, not behind the neck as the frills of Protoceratops, that the bodies of griffins much more closely resemble the bodies of modern big cats than they do those of Protoceratops, and that the gold deposits of central Asia occur hundreds of kilometers from the known Protoceratops fossil remains, among many other inconsistencies. Protoceratops. The use of the frill as a displaying structure may be related to other anatomical features of Protoceratops such as the premaxillary teeth (at least for P. andrewsi) which could have been used in display or intraspecific combat, or the high neural spines of tail. Thanks to the large collection of skulls found in the expeditions, they concluded that Protoceratops represented a ceratopsian more primitive than ceratopsids and not an ankylosaur-ceratopsian ancestor. Interesting Facts About Protoceratops - ThoughtCo The frill was likely used for display or intraspecific combat, as well as protection of the neck and anchoring of jaw muscles. The outlines of eggs and embryos indicates ellipsoid-shaped eggs in life with dimensions about 12cm (120mm) long and 6cm (60mm) wide. The chest cavity of Velociraptor MPC-D100/54. The morphological differences among the Udyn Sayr specimens may indicate intraspecific variation of Protoceratops. [2][5], After spending much of 1924 making plans for the next fieldwork seasons, in 1925 Andrews and team explored the Flaming Cliffs yet again. He also indicated that the anterior caudals were devoid of high neural spines and had increased mobilitya mobility that stars to decrease towards the high neural spines, which suggest that the tail could be largely raised from its base. He concluded that nests were built in a shallow mound with the eggs laid radially, contrary to popular restorations of crater-like Protoceratops nests. Building a Protoceratops Habitat in Prehistoric Kingdom Eye size is an important adaptation in predators and nocturnal animals because a larger eye ratio poses a higher sensitivity and resolution. [80] Richard A. Thulborn in 1992 analyzed the different types of eggs and neststhe majority of them, in fact, elongatoolithidreferred to Protoceratops and their structure. Another proposal is that the Velociraptor was scavenging an already dead Protoceratops when it got buried and eventually killed by indeterminate circumstances. Sowiak and team also suggested that the flat and wide hand unguals (claw bone) of Protoceratops may have been useful for moving on loose terrain (such as sand) without sinking. Most of the individuals within the nest had nearly the same age, size and growth, suggesting that they belonged to a single nest, rather than an aggregate of individuals. If trapped in a specific situation (like danger or foraging), Protoceratops could have employed a rapid, facultative bipedalism. [85], Based on general similarities between the vertebrate fauna and sediments of Bayan Mandahu and the Djadokhta Formation, the Bayan Mandahu Formation is considered to be Late Cretaceous in age, roughly Campanian. [113] In the Turgrugyin Member (mainly Tugriken Shireh locality), P. andrewsi shared its paleoenvironment with the bird Elsornis;[114] dromaeosaurids Mahakala and Velociraptor mongoliensis;[101][115] and ornithomimid Aepyornithomimus. Its fossils have been found in places such as Gansu (China), Bayankhongor (Mongolia) and Inner Mongolia (China). ", "A new leptoceratopsid dinosaur from Maastrichtian-aged deposits of the Sustut Basin, northern British Columbia, Canada", "Neural Spine Elongation in Dinosaurs: Sailbacks or Buffalo-Backs? However, they suggested that authentic differences between sexes could be still present in the postcranial skeleton. Protoceratops means 'first horned face' 2. Protoceratops - Prehistoric Wildlife [19] Both species can be differentiated by the following characteristics: The skull of Protoceratops was relatively large compared to its body and robustly built. Based on comparisons with other ornithischian dinosaurs such as Maiasaura and Orodromeusknown from more complete nestsThulborn concluded that most depictions of Protoceratops nests were based on incompletely preserved clutches and mostly on type A eggs, which were more likely to have been laid by an ornithopod. The specimen hails from the Udyn Sayr locality, where Protoceratops remains are dominant, and given the lack of more conclusive anatomical traits, Czepiski assigned the specimen as Bagaceratops sp. Protoceratops Pronunciation: pro-toe-ker-ah-tops Name meaning: 'first horned face' Type of dinosaur: ceratopsian Length: 1.8m Weight: 400kg. The team indicated that both pupae and boring traces reflect a marked ecological relationship between dinosaur carcasses and a relatively large necrophagous insect taxon. [34], Kenneth Carpenter in 1998 considered the Fighting Dinosaurs specimen to be conclusive evidence for theropods as active predators and not scavengers. Unwin and colleagues examined the sediments surrounding the specimen and suggested that the two were buried alive by a powerful sandstorm. Its name means "ornate horned face" - so named because of all of the horns it contained on its head and face. Such traits were regarded as representing male P. hellenikorhinus. It was a member of the Protoceratopsidae, a group of early . [63], Tereschenko in 2018 examined the cervical vertebrae series of six P. andrewsi specimens. Este grupo de saurpsidos apareci hace 231 millones de aos durante el perodo Trisico, aunque su origen y su diversificacin es . [39], Longrich in 2010 proposed that Protoceratops may have used its hindlimbs to dig burrows or take shelter under bushes and/or scrapes in order to escape the hottest temperatures of the day. At their upper region, the scapulae were wide. Unlike dentary and maxillary teeth, the premaxillary dentition was devoid of denticles, having a relatively smooth surface. The lacrimal was a near-rectangular bone located in front of the orbit, contributing to the shape of the latter. Oviraptor, (genus Oviraptor), small, lightly built predatory or omnivorous dinosaur that brooded its eggs in a manner similar to birds. Below are the proposed relationships among Protoceratopsidae by Czepiski:[18], In 2019 Bitnara Kim and colleagues described a relatively well-preserved Bagaceratops skeleton from the Barun Goyot Formation, noting numerous similarities with Protoceratops. [5][19], Protoceratops had leaf-shaped dentary and maxillary teeth that bore several denticles (serrations) on their respective edges. Maiorino and team nevertheless, cited that the typical regarded Protoceratops male, AMNH 6438, pretty much resembles the rostrum morphology of AMNH 6466, a typical regarded female. [78], In 2020 nevertheless, Andrew C. Knapp and team conducted morphometric analyses of a large sample of P. andrewsi specimens, primarily confluding that the neck frill of Protoceratops has no indicators or evidence for being sexually dimorphic. It is likely that Protoceratops raised its tail as a signal (display) or females could use this method during egg laying in order to expand and relax the cloaca. They concluded that enamel shape does not relate to the diet or function of the teeth as most animals do not necessarily use teeth to process food. Chevrons three to nine were the largest and from the tenth onwards they became smaller. This genus was based on a few dorsal (back) vertebrae that were stated to differ from those of Protoceratops. Reported traces were identified as pits, notches, borings, and channels across the skeletons, most notably at limb joint areas. Paleontologists uncovered this just-hatched Protoceratops in 1997 at Ukhaa Tolgod. [97][99] The Bayn Dzak member (mostly the Bayn Dzak locality) has yielded the dromaeosaurids Halszkaraptor and Velociraptor mongoliensis;[101][102] oviraptorid Oviraptor;[3] ankylosaurid Pinacosaurus grangeri;[93] and troodontid Saurornithoides. DINOSAURIOS CRDOBA | Una exposicin de dinosaurios animatrnicos llega According to Tereschenko, Bagaceratops was fully aquatic while Protoceratops was only partially aquatic. It was subsequently analyzed by the paleontologist Walter W. Granger who identified it as reptilian. [126], Mayor in 2001 and 2011 defended the hypothesis of Protoceratops as an influence over the griffin by citing that some other Greek histories about mythological creatures may have had their origins at the hands of fossil findings made by ancient people. Given the dry/harsh paleoenvironmental conditions of units like the Djadokhta Formation, medium to large-sized dinosaur carcasses may have been an important source of nutrition for small animals. The forward facing and closely located orbits combined with a narrow snout, gave Protoceratops a well-developed binocular vision. It bore up to 12-14 alveoli on its top margin. The pes (foot) were composed of four metatarsal and four toes which bore shovel-like pedal unguals. He suggested another scenario where the multiple wounds delivered by the Velociraptor on the Protoceratops throat had the latter animal bleeding to death. The last openings of the skull were two parietal fenestrae (holes in the frill). The first horned face, Protoceratops (1923) Phylum - The Evolution Given that soft-shelled eggs are more vulnerable to deshydratation and crushing, Protoceratops may have buried its eggs in moisturized sand or soil. So, first thing you may notice is that I'm not talking, and my mic was muted, and I feel too lazy to re-record. The team concluded that the frill of Protoceratops can be characterized by these ontogenetic changes. The first three fingers had unguals (claw bones) and were the largest digits. Ceratopsians (including protoceratopsids), along with Euoplocephalus, Hungarosaurus, parkosaurid, ornithopod and heterodontosaurine dinosaurs, were found to be in the former category, indicating that Protoceratops and relatives had strong bite forces and relied mostly on its jaws to process food. Author Topic: Protoceratops (Read 5473 times) - ztcdd.org [63], In 2017 Mototaka Saneyoshi with team analyzed several Protoceratops specimens from the Djadokhta Formation, noting that from perinate/juvenile to subadult individuals, the parietal and squamosal bones increased their sides to posterior sides of the skull. Most embryos within this clutch have a flexed position and the outlines of eggs are also present, suggesting that they were buried in ovo (in the egg). The results suggests a mean embryonic tooth replacement period of 30.68 days and relatively plesiomorphically (ancestral-shared) long incubation times for P. andrewsi, with a minimum incubation time of 83.16 days. The team also find that the growth rate of the femur increased at the subadult stage, suggesting changes in bone proportions, such as the elongation of the hindlimbs. On the other hand P. hellenikorhinus had a total skull length of about 70cm (700mm). Like Protoceratops, Montanoceratops and similar horned dinosaurs, Koreaceratops had a series of exceptionally long neural spines sticking up from its tail vertebrae which get progressively longer . Protoceratops cf. In birds, a medium-sized sclerotic ring indicates that the animal is a predator, a large sclerotic ring indicates that it is nocturnal, and the largest ring size indicates it is an active nocturnal predator. On September 2, the photographer James B. Shackelford discovered a partial juvenile skullwhich would become the holotype specimen (AMNH 6251) of Protoceratopsin reddish sandstones. 7. [19] In 2017 abundant protoceratopsid material was reported from Alxa near Bayan Mandahu,[20] and it may be referable to P. She cited myths such as cyclopes, giants, griffins and minotaurs. [24][3] In 1975, the Chinese paleontologist Zhao Zikui named the new oogenera Elongatoolithus and Macroolithus, including them in a new oofamily: the Elongatoolithidae. He explained that the presence of this Bagaceratops specimen in such unusual locality could be solved by: (1) the coexistence and sympatric (altogether) evolution of both Bagaceratops and Protoceratops at this one locality; (2) the rise of B. rozhdestvenskyi in a different region and eventual migration to Udyn Sayr; (3) hybridization between the two protoceratopsids given the near placement of both Bayan Mandahu and Djadokhta; (4) anagenetic (proggressive evolution) evolutionary transition from P. andrewsi to B. rozhdestvenskyi.