Species Resolution in Triceratops
Species Resolution in Triceratops
Species Resolution in Triceratops
SOCIETYCB>
INTRODUCTION
Triceratops was one of the largest and most numerous herbivorous dinosaurs in western North America at the end of the
Cretaceous. Based largely on well preserved skulls from Maastrichtian formations (Lance, Hell Creek, Scollard, Frenchman)
in Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Alberta, and
Saskatchewan, sixteen species of Triceratops have been named.
Because of its abundance, apparent diversity, and late temporal
occurence, Triceratops has figured prominently in studies of
dinosaur abundance and diversity near the Cretaceous-Tertiary
boundary in North America (e.g., Van Valen and Sloan, 1977;
Sloan et al., 1986; Sheehan et al., 1991).
In 1986, Ostrom and Wellnhofer redescribed the holotype of
T. brevicornis (BSP 1964 1 458) and provided a historical account of Triceratops systematics.After a consideration of individual variation, sexual dimorphism, and ontogenetic effects,
they concluded that Triceratops was monospecific. A complete
analysis of this hypothesis, however, was beyond the scope of
their paper (see also Ostrom and Wellnhofer, 1990). Their paper
underlined the modern biological species concept, and called
for its application to the problem of species in Triceratops.
This study combines cladistic and morphometric information
in a species analysis of Triceratops. The novelties that characterize species occur by way of continuous shape change and
the appearance of discrete characters. Shape, or quantitative,
information is explored through multivariate morphometric
shape analysis. Qualitative characters are examined by cladistic
analysis. AH available specimens of Triceratops (Table 1) were
examined to: (1) determine the taxonomic validity of named
species, (2) rediagnose the species based on groupings discovered by analysis, and (3) discuss the diversity and range of
variation within the genus.
Institutional abbreviations include: AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, New York; BSP, Bayerische Staatsamlung fr PaHiontologie und Historische Geologie, Munich;
NMC, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa; CM, Carnegie
Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh; FMNH, Field Museum
of Natural History, Chicago; MCZ, Museum of Comparative
Zoology, Cambridge; USNM, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.; LACM, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles; SMM, Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul; SnSM, South Dakota School of
Mines, Rapid City; UCMP, University of California at Berke-
* Present address: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Health Sciences Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony
Brook, NY 11794.
Named Species
The first specimens attributed to Triceratops were a pair of
partial supraorbital horns collected in the "Denver Fm." of Colorado and erroneously referred to the mammalian genus Bison
by O. C. Marsh (1887). In the following year, J. B. Hatcher
collected a partial skull from the Lance Formation, Niobrara
County, Wyoming, which Marsh (1889a) originally described
as Ceratops horridus. Later that year Marsh (1889b) erected
the genus Trice ratops, with T. horridus as the type species, and
renamed the "bison" specimen Triceratops alticornis.
Over the next eight years, Marsh named eight more species:
T. galeus (1889b), T. flabellatus (1889b), T. serratus (1890a),
T. prorsus (1890a), T. sulcatus (1890b), T. elatus (1891), T.
calicornis (1898), and T. obtusus (1898). Six additional species
were described by subsequent authors: T. brevicornis (Hatcher,
1905), T. hatcheri (Lull in Hatcher et al., 1907), T. ingens (Lull,
1915), T. maximus (Brown, 1933), T. eurycephalus (Schlaikjer,
1935), and T. albertensis (Sternberg, 1949).
Of these sixteen species, four are based on inadequate material: T. galeus (an isolated nasal horn; USNM 2410), T. alticornis (a pair of supraorbital horns; USNM 4739), T. sulcatus
(a pair of supraorbital horns; USNM 4276), and T. maximus
(eight dorsal vertebrae; AMNH 5040). These specimens are
nomina dubia and cannot be assigned to Triceratops with certainty. A fifth species, T. ingens (YPM 1828), is an unpublished
name of Marsh's mentioned by Lull (1915). The type specimen
is a large, partial skull assignable to Triceratops. Lull mentioned T. ingens without description or diagnosis, and it is considered here a nomen nudum.
Triceratops hatcheri, was originally described by Lull (in
Hatcher et al., 1907) as Diceratops hatcheri, then later synonymized with Triceratops (Lull, 1933). In this study, Diceratops
is considered a valid taxon and T. hatcheri is removed again to
this taxon. This revision is discussed in the following section.
Validity oC Diceratops
The taxon Diceratops (USNM 2412) consists of a single
skull without lower jaws or postcrania. Generic characters were
originally described as: nasal horn absent, squamosals pierced
by large fenestra, parietal with small fenestrae, and a squamosal
lacking an inferior jugal notch. Nasal horns are also occasionally missing in specimens of Triceratops due to the lack of
fusion between the epinasal ossification and the nasal boss (For-
259
260
TABLE 1. Specimen numbers, species assignments, geographic and stratigraphic information, and basal skull length (BSL) for specimens used
in this study. Abbreviations: H, holotypes; e, estimated measurement; NA, not available (skull either incomplete or inaccessible).
Specimen
Original species
assignment
This study
Location
Formation
BSL (cm)
AMNH 5116
AMNH 970
BSP 1964 1 456
CM 1221
FMNH P12003
LACM 7207
MCZ 1102
NMC 8862
SDSM 2760
SMM P62/1/1
UCMP 113697
USNM 1201
USNM 2100
USNM 4720
USNM 4928
YPM 1820
YPM 1821
YPM 1822
YPM 1823
elatus
serratus
brevicornis (H)
brevicornis
calicornis
sp.
eurycephalus (H)
albertensis (H)
horridus
prorsus
horridus
elatus (H)
elatus
obtusus (H)
calicornis (H)
horridus (H)
flabe llatus (H)
prorsus (H)
serratus (H)
horridus
horridus
prorsus
prorsus
horridus
prorsus
nomen dubium
nomen dubium
horridus
horridus
horridus
horridus
horridus
horridus
horridus
horridus (H)
horridus
prorsus (H)
horridus
Lance
Hell Creek
Lance
Hell Creek
Hell Creek
Hell Creek
Lance
Scollard
Hell Creek
Hell Creek
Hell Creek
Lance
Lance
Lance
Lance
Lance
Lance
Lance
Lance
110 (e)
NA
NA
116
110
110
NA
NA
NA
127
NA
104 (e)
NA
NA
118
NA
106 (e)
88
102
ster, 1996). This likely accounts for the absent nasal horn in
Diceratops.
Squamosal fenestrae commonly occur in all chasmosaurine
ceratopsids (Chasmosaurus, Pentaceratops, Anchiceratops, Arrhinoceratops, Torosaurus) except Triceratops. In chasmosaurines, squamosal fenestrae are located posterior to the contact
with the paroccipital processes, are either uni- or bilateral (or
missing altogether in sorne specimens), are nearly uniform in
shape, and possess smoothly rounded margins. Squamosals of
Triceratops are uniformly thick and never exhibit fenestration
or thinning.
A large fenestra occurs in the left squamosal of Diceratops
immediately posterior to the paroccipital processes, and a small
oval fenestra pierces the right squamosal. Sorne authors (e.g.,
Lull, 1933) considered these fenestrae a pathological result of
injuries. Where the margins of the fenestrae are preserved in
Diceratops they are smoothly rounded and lack any outward
sign of trauma. However, there is a pathological area of bone
along the left squamosal-parietal suture, immediately posterior
to the left fenestra. The margin of the fenestra near this callosity
is smooth and even, apparently uneffected by this injury. The
even nature of the squamosal fenestrae in Diceratops, coupled
with the ubiquitous appearance of fenestrae of similar shape,
size, and position in all chasmosaurines exclusive of Triceratops, indicate squamosal fenestrae are a real morphological entity not predicated by injury.
Diceratops also possesses parietal fenestrae, a character also
shared with all other chasmosaurines exclusive of Triceratops.
The right parietal has a narrow 16 cm. long opening. Much of
the margin of this fenestra is obscured by plaster, but enough
margin is preserved to discern its approximate size and confirm
its presence. Additionally, the parietal immediately surrounding
the fenestral margin is very thin. The left parietal is too poorly
preserved to provide additional information.
Diceratops shares with Torosaurus a unique configuration of
the frontal fontanelle. In these two taxa, a shallow channel extends posterolaterally from the frontal fontanelle (the frontal
fontanelle is paired in Torosaurus and single in Diceratops)
towards the anterior margin of each upper temporal fenestra.
Each channel terminates at a foramen in the parietal (the "anterior temporal foramen" of Marsh, 1892) medial to the upper
temporal fenestrae. These "anterior temporal foramina" are
found in no other ceratopsids.
Diceratops possesses both parietal and squamosal fenestrae,
and shares a unique frontal fontanelle configuration with Torosaurus. Additionally, the frilllbasal skulllength of Diceratops
is greater than that of all Triceratops specimens. A recent cladistic analysis of the Chasmosaurinae by Forster (1990) also
supports the validity of Diceratops. While this is not a complete
reanalysis of the systematic position of Diceratops, these characters indicate Diceratops Hes outside Triceratops and validates
its removal from this analysis.
Diagnoses of Taxa
The removal of the taxa listed aboye leaves ten technically
valid species of Triceratops. Each of these ten species were
erected citing morphology thought unique to that species. The
majority of these species-level characteristics involve ornamental morphology of the supraorbital horn, nasal horn, and frill.
Most are poorly diagnosed, and these defining characteristics
are summarized below:
T. horridus (holotype: YPM 1820; Marsh, 1889a). Characters
same as for genus.
T. flabellatus (holotype: YPM 1821; Marsh, 1889b). Fan-like
frill, large epoccipitals, very large size.
T. serratus (holotype: YPM 1823; Marsh, 1890). Possesses a
series of bony projections along the median Hne of the parietal crest, with a similar ridge along the squamosals caudal
to the postorbital.
T. prorsus (holotype: YPM 1822; Marsh, 1890). Massive horn
cores; narrow, extensive frill with broadly convex squamosals; and a long, forward projecting nasal horno
T. elatus (holotype: USNM 1201; Marsh, 1891). Moderate sized
nasal horn; long, pointed, and forward directed supraorbital
horns; and an elongate and much elevated frill.
T. calicornis (holotype: USNM 4928; Marsh, 1898). Unusual,
dorsally-concave nasal horn with horseshoe-shaped dorsal
surface.
T. obtusus (holotype: USNM 4720; Marsh, 1898). Very short,
rounded, and obtuse nasal horno
T. brevicornis (holotype: BSP 1964 I 458, formerly YPM 1834;
Hatcher, 1905). Short and stout supraorbital horns; short and
nearly vertical nasal horn; elliptical orbit; and open frontal
fontanelle.
T. eurycephalus (holotype: MCZ 1102; Schlaikjer, 1935). Relatively long frill; short dentary and facial region; elevated
emphasizes variability within Triceratops, partIcularly In supraorbital and nasal horn size and orientation
~hi~h ~ave historically formed much of the basis for specifi~
dlstInctlons. General characters defining more inclusive groups
among ceratopsids, however, are also included. Triceratops is
diagnosed here as follows:
Nasal horn varies from small boss to moderately long horn
placed over front of external nares. Frontal fontanelle either
s~all and ~ircular or absent due to closure of frontals and parletals. Parletals unfenestrated, extremely thick, and heavily
vascularized on their upper surface. Vascularized rim present
around perimeter of ventral surface of frill. Squamosals broad
and short relative to other chasmosaurines, with convex, rounded lateral margins. Epoccipital spans midline on the parietal,
and squamosal-parietal suture. Frill saddle-shaped with upturned caudal margin, and strong parietal midline ridge.
This diagnosis contains only those characters autapomorphic
for the genus, sorne previously identified by Hatcher et al.
(1907) and Ostrom and Wellnhofer (1986).
RESULTS
Cladistic Aoalysis
Discrete characters for Triceratops were compiled in a cladistic analysis. A recent cladistic analysis by Forster (1990),
261
placing Triceratops within the Chasmosaurinae, formed the basis for the polarization of characters within Triceratops. Diceratops and Torosaurus form successive outgroups. Five characters were found to vary among Triceratops specimens and
are discussed below:
(1) Contact of the squamosal, jugal, and postorbital aboye
the lower temporal fenestra. This complex suture maintains a
consistent, plesiomorphic pattern in most specimens (e.g., CM
1221), but exhibits a unique pattern in YPM 1822 and SMM
P62/1/1 (Fig. 1). Primitively the jugal forms the dorsal margin
of the lower temporal fenestra and the squamosal extends dorsal
to the jugal to contact the postorbital. In YPM 1822 and SMM
P62/1/1 the squamosal forms the dorsal margin of the lower
temporal fenestra and does not extend across the top of the
jugal.
(2) Supraorbital horn length. The length of the supraorbital
horns varies among Triceratops specimens, and has been cited
as a species specific character in T. elatus, T. brevicornis, and
T. eurycephalus. In relation to basal skull length, relatively
short horns are found in BSP 1964 I 456, CM 1221, LACM
7207, and YPM 1822 (horn length/basal skull length ranging
from 0.42 to 0.61). All other specimens where horn length and
basal skulllengths can be measured or estimated have relatively
longer supraorbital horns (e.g., USNM 4928, USNM 1201,
AMNH 5166; horn length/basal skulllength 0.69 to 0.75).
(3) Closing of the frontal fontanelle. When present, the frontal fontanelle is a single, circular opening, often connected or
nearly connected to the upper temporal fenestrae by shallow
channels or furrows across the surface of the parietal (e.g.,
AMNH 5116, USNM 2100). The frontal fontanelle is absent
due to the uninterupted suture between the frontals and pariet~
als, in sorne specimens of Triceratops (YPM 1822, LACM
7207, CM 1221; Fig. 2). This absence of a frontal fontanelle in
these specimens is unique among ceratopsids.
(4) Rostrum shape. The rostrum exhibits two morphologies
among Triceratops specimens. Commonly the rostrum appears
low and "drawn-out," the premaxillae forming a reversed Sshaped rostral margin (e.g., SDSM 2760, USNM 4928). This
form is plesiomorphic among chasmosaurines. Sorne Triceratops specimens possess a deep, shorter rostrum with a smoothly
convex rostral margin (YPM 1822, LACM 7207, CM 1221,
BSP 1964 I 458; Fig. 3).
(5) Nasal horn length. The nasal horn assumes a variety of
shapes and sizes and has been cited as a specific character in
T. calicornis, T. prorsus, T. elatus, T. brevicornis, and T. obtusus. Long, curved, and forward inclined nasal horns (angles
range from approximately thirty to fifty degrees from the vertical), extending anterior to the external nares (e.g., YPM 1822,
C:M 1221, UCMP 113697), differ discretely from the short, uprlght nasal horns (e.g., AMNH 5116, SDSM 2670; Fig. 4).
Long nasal horns have horn length to basal skull length ratios
of 0.23 to 0.30, while short nasal horns show ratios of 0.10 to
0.13. A small boss of undefined shape occurs in T. obtusus
(USNM 4720) due to the loss of the epinasal ossification. The
unusual nasal horn configuration in T. calicornis (USNM 4928)
results from the incomplete fusion of the epinasal ossification
onto the nasal boss or horncore (Forster, 1990, 1996; this morphology is also clearly observed in UCMP 113697). Nasal
horns are often broken and their original configuration indeterminable (e.g., YPM 1821).
Other morphologies which lack discrete distributions, including frill shape and supraorbital horn orientations, have been
used to diagnose species of Trice ratops. Wide ranging and conti~uous variation occurs in these morphologies, making species
dlagnoses based on these characters ambiguous. They are discussed below:
Supraorbital Doro Orieotatioo-The supraorbital horns
express a range of orientation in Triceratops, and appear in
262
sq
sq
ej
ej
FIGURE 1. Postorbital-squamosal-jugal suture (character 1), right lateral view: A, primitive condition, the jugal forms the dorsal rim of the
lower temporal fenestra, after YPM 1821; B, derived condition, the squamosal forms the dorsal rim of the lower temporal fenestra, after YPM
1822.
the diagnoses of T. elatus and T. albertensis. When supraorbital horn orientations were plotted for eleven Triceratops
specimens (those with complete supraorbital horns), they
formed a graded series of angles ranging from approximately
30 to 50 from the vertical (Forster, 1990:figs. 1-21). The
curve of the horn differs among specimens, but no pattern is
discernable. Lateral splay in Triceratops supraorbital horns
also varies somewhat, but most horns show little splay. It must
also be noted that slight to marked distortion of supraorbital
par
A
FIGURE 2.
YPM 1822.
Frontal fontanelle region (character 3), dorsal view. A, open frontal fontanelle, after USNM 2100; B, absent frontal fontanelle, after
263
B
FIGURE 4. Nasal horn length (character 5), right lateral view. A,
short, upright horn, AMNH 51 16; B, long, inclined horn, CM 1221.
B
FIGURE 3. Rostrum shape (character 4), left lateral view. A, long, Sshaped rostrum, USNM 4928; B, short, rounded rostrum, LACM 7207.
FIGURE 5. Consensus tree for character analysis of Triceratops specimens showing character distributions. This seven-step tree has a consistency index of 0.714. "Other specimens" of T. horridus are AMNH
5116, FMNH P12003, SDSM 2706, USNM 1201, 2100,4928, YPM
1820, 1823.
264
arate runs using all available variables for that specimen and
all other specimens for which those variables were known.
The most inclusive set of Triceratops specimens analysed
(Analysis 1) included nine specimens (YPM 1821, 1822, 1823,
AMNH 5116, USNM 2100, 4928, SMM P62/1/1, FMNH
P12003, CM 1221) and twenty-five variables (v5-6, v9-15,
vI7-20, v23-35). Numerical results of this and all other analyses are shown in Appendix 111. Principal Component (PC) I
captured 53.7% of the total variation, PC II 23.1%, and PC III
6.70/0, for a total of 83.8% across the first three principal components.
PC 1, while loading on size, also contains shape information
as evidenced by the negative value for v25, an axial measurement along the face. Although there is a general trend to increase variable length with general size, v25 exhibits a general
reduction in length. All but two specimens line up along the
PC I axis according to basal skull length, again emphasizing
the infiuence of size information within PC 1. AH residual values for PC I are within 0.3 of zero, and the percentage of variation captured is only slightly over 50%. This is likely due to
the narrow size range of the adult specimens involved (88 to
127 cm. basal skull length).
PC II is bipolar, containing contrasting negative and positive
values. Eight of the nine negative variables (v8-13, v17, v19)
involve transverse measurement across the skull; vIO and vIl
have particularly high negative loadings. Principal Component
II contrasts transverse measurements to other measurements on
the skull, that is the width of the skull is narrowing relative to
other length measurements. A high amount of variance is explained by PC II (23.1 %), making it a significant shape axis.
PC 111, capturing only 6.7% of the total variance, is also bipolar.
Both negative and positive residual values occur for transverse
measurements, measurements along the side of the face, and
frill measurements.
Principal component biplots (Fig. 6) show a fairly tight clustering across PC 1, PC 11, and PC 111. The two specimens of T.
prorsus (YPM 1822, CM 1221) cluster together alongside the
T. horridus group, but do not separate completely from this
group along any single axis.
An analysis including LACM 7207 with the other T. prorsus
group specimens involved seven additional specimens (YPM
1822, CM 1221, SMM P62/1/1, USNM 2100, 1201, 4928,
AMNH 5116) and eighteen variables (v3-6, v23-34; Fig. 7,
Appendix 111). The first Principal Component accounted for
48.3% of the variance, PC II for 24.8%, and PC III for 15.4%,
capturing a total of 88.5% of the variance across the first three
principal components. Again, PC I loads heavily but not exclusively on size, while PC II and PC III include a high percentage of shape information. LACM 7207 clusters with YPM
1822 and CM 1221, completely separating from the horridus
specimens along PC 11.
Specimens YPM 1820 (type of T. horridus), USNM 1201
(type of T. elatus), 4720 (type of T. obtusus), and AMNH 970
were also included in separate, less complete analyses. These
analyses, ranging from six to eight total specimens and 7 to 22
variables per analysis, are summarized below.
The YPM 1820 Analysis (including YPM 1822, AMNH
5116, USNM 2100, USNM 4928, CM 1221, FMNH P12003;
vl-2, v6-7, v13, v18-20, v35; Fig. 8A, Appendix 111), shows
that YPM 1820 is morphometrically consistent with the T. horridus group. However, since only nine variables were employed
the case admittedly is not strong.
Analyses using USNM 1201 (including YPM 1822, AMNH
5166, USNM 4928, CM 1221, FMNH P12003; vl-2, v4-7,
v14, v17-20, v23-33), USNM 4720 (including USNM 1201,
2100,4928, CM 1221, YPM 1822, AMNH 5116; vl-3, v5-7,
v19), and AMNH 970 (including YPM 1821, 1822, 1823,
AMNH 5116, USNM 4928, CM 1221, FMNH P12003; v5-8,
o..
265
o..
o..
PCI
PCI
PCII
FIGURE 6. Principal component biplots for Analysis 1. A, PC I-PC 11; B, PC I-PC 111; C, PC II-PC 111. Open circles represent T. prorsus
specimens CM 1221 and YPM 1822, and closed circles represent T. horridus specimens AMNH 5116, FMNH P12006, SMM P62/1/1, USNM
2100, 4928, YPM 1821, 1823.
FIGURE 7. Principal components biplots for LACM 7207 Analysis. A, PC I-PC 11; B, PC I-PC 111; C, PC II-PC 111. Open circles represent T.
prorsus specimens CM 1221, LACM 7202, and YPM 1822, and closed circles represent T. horridus specimens AMNH 5116, SMM P62/1/1/,
USNM 2100, 1201, 4928.
266
o..
o..
PCI
PCI
o..
o..
PCI
PCI
FIGURE 8. Principal components biplots (PC I-PC 11). A, YPM 1820 Analysis. Open circles represent T. prorsus specimens CM 1221 and
YPM 1822, closed circles represent T. horridus specimens AMNH 5116, FMNH P 12006, USNM 2100, 4928, and cross represents YPM 1820;
B, USNM 1201 Analysis. Open circles represent T. prorsus specimens CM 1221 and YPM 1822, closed circles represent T. horridus specimens
AMNH 5116, FMNH P 12006, USNM 4928, and cross represents USNM 1201; C, USNM 4720 Analysis. Open circles represent T. prorsus
specimens CM 1221 and YPM 1822, closed circles represent T. horridus specimens AMNH 5116, USNM 1201, 2100, 4928, and cross represent
USNM 4720; D, AMNH 970 Analysis. Open circles represent T. prorsus specimens CM 1221 and YPM 1822, closed circles represent T. horridus
specimens AMNH 5116, USNM 4928, YPM 1821, 1823, and cross represents AMNH 970.
T. obtusus (USNM 4720)-The short, rounded, "obtuse" nasal horn diagnosing the species results from the absence of the
epinasal ossification. The rostrum is missing and the frontal
fontanelle region is damaged, but very long supraorbital horns
are presento
T. albertensis (NMC 8862)-This specimen consists primarily of the left cheek and facial region, a partial left supraorbital
horn, and a left squamosal; all material is poorly preserved and
deformed. No character information is available since the frontal fontanelle region and rostrum are not preserved. The vertical, caudally placed supraorbital horn, used to diagnose the species, is the result of severe postdepositional deformation. Similarly, the antorbital fossa region is artificially enlarged due to
damage. The morphology of the squamosal Hes within the range
of that for Triceratops.
267
B
FIGURE 9.
Representative specimens of the two species of Triceratops: A, T. horridus, SDSM 2760; B, T. prorsus, YPM 1922.
and CM 1221 from western Montana. Specimens of T. horridus occur at both these sites. General stratigraphic data are
available only for Niobrara County, Wyoming. In this region,
YPM 1822 was found approximately at mid section, and BSP
1964 1 456 approximately two-thirds of the way up section.
Specimens of T. horridus are found both aboye, within, and
below the intervals containing the two T. prorsus specimens.
Stratigraphic and geographic data do not preclude the hy-
268
from 102 to 127 cm). Conversely, the presence of two contemporaneous morphs does not negate the posibility of two separate
species; species partitioning may have occurred ecologically
rather than temporally or geographically.
The preceeding analysis is summarized in the following revision of the systematic hierarchy:
CERATOPSIA Marsh, 1888
NEOCERATOPSIA Sereno, 1986
CERATOPSIDAE Marsh, 1888
CHASMOSAURINAE Lambe, 1915
Genus TRICERATOPS Marsh, 1889
TRICERATOPS HORRIDUS Marsh, 1889
Holotype-YPM 1820
Revised Species Diagnosis-same as for genus (see above;
Fig.9A).
Synonyms-T. flabellatus, T. serratus, T. elatus, T. calicornis, and T. obtusus.
TRICERATOPS PRORSUS Marsh, 1890
Holotype-YPM 1822
Revised Species Diagnosis-frontal fontanelle absent, supraorbital horns relatively short with horn length/basal skull
length of 0.61 or less, rostrum relatively deep and short with
convexly rounded rostral margin (Fig. 9B).
Synonym-T. brevicornis.
CONCLUSIONS
Triceratops is here divided into two species, T. horridus and
T. prorsus. The other named species are revised as follows: T.
flabellatus, T. serratus, T. elatus, T. calicornis, and T. obtusus
are junior synonyms of T. horridus. This is due to the absence
of discrete and consistent morphological characters or shape
differences that could be used to differentiate these "species."
T. brevicornis is considered a junior synonym of T. prorsus,
based on the possession of the same shared derived characters
that define T. prorsus. Finally, T. eurycephalus and T. albertensis are considered nomina dubia.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
1 thank Peter Dodson and Paul Sereno for their help throughout this study, and Barry Chernoff for assistance with both the
cladistic and morphometric analyses. The illustrations were
skillfully prepared by Carol Abraczinskas, who 1 also thank for
her assistance and advise. Access to specimens was kindly provided by J. Ostrom and M. Turner, E. Gaffney and C. Holton,
E Jenkins, Jr. and C. Schaff, N. Hotton and M. Brett-Surman,
D. Berman, J. Bolt, B. Erickson, ~ Bjork, K. Stadtman, D.
Russell and K. Shepherd, K. Padian and H. Hutchison, and S.
McLeod. Peter Dodson, Paul Sereno, and Ralph Chapman provided valuable suggestions on an earlier version of this manuscript This work was partially supported through grants from
Sigma Xi and the Geological Society of America (to the author) , and trom the David and Lucile Packard Foundation (to
~ C. Sereno). This study formed part of my Doctoral Dissertation in the Department of Geology, University of Pennsylvania; 1 warmly thank the faculty, staff, and students for their
help and encouragement.
LITERATURE CITED
Benson, R. H., R. E. Chapman, and A. E Siegel. 1982. On the measurement of morphology and its change. Paleobiology 8:328-339.
Bookstein, E, B. Chernoff, R. Elder, J. Humphries, G. Smith, and R.
Strauss. 1985. Morphometrics in Evolutionary Biology. Academy
of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia Special Publication 15, 275 pp.
O
?
O
?
?
O
1
O
O
O
?
1
O
O
1
1
?
1
O
O
O
O
O
O
1
O
O
?
1
O
1
O
O
?
O
O
O
1
O
O
1
1
O
1
O
O
O
?
O
O
1
O
O
1
1
O
1
O
1
O
O
O
O
1
?
APPENDIX 11
Descriptions of landmarks
1 tip of rostral
2 nasal-premaxilla contact beneath nasal horn
3 premaxilla-maxilla contact at tooth row
4 lacrimal-maxilla-jugal contact at antorbital fenestra
5 maxilla-jugal contact at edge of cheek
6 dorsalmost rim of orbit
7 postorbital-jugal contact at orbit
8 postorbital-jugal-squamosal contact
9 squamosal-quadratojugal contact at lower temporal fenestra
10 ventral tip of jugal
11 parietal-squamosal contact at caudal frill margin
12 caudal tip of maxilla
13 tip of supraorbital horns
14 tip of nasal horn
15 supraoccipital-parietal contact on midline
16 paroccipital process-squamosal contact at frill margin
17 paroccipital process-squamosal-parietal contact
Descriptions of variables
1 landmark 2 to landmark 14
2 transverse width of nasals at landmark 2
3 landmark 6 to landmark 14
4 circumference of the supraorbital horn base
5 transverse width from landmark 6 to landmark 6
6 width of occipital condyle
7 width across basioccipital tubera
8 width across basisphenoid processes
9 transverse width from landmark 7 to landmark 7
10 transverse width from landmark 9 to landmark 9
11 transverse width from landmark 4 to landmark 4
12 transverse width from landmark 3 to landmark 3
13 transverse width from landmark lOto landmark 10
14 transverse width from landmark 11 to landmark 11
15 landmark 11 to landmark 15
16 landmark 15 to landmark 16
17 landmark 11 to landmark 16
18 transverse width from landmark 16 to landmark 16
19 landmark 16 to landmark 17
20 transverse width from landmark 17 to landmark 17
21 landmark 1 to landmark 2
22 landmark 1 to landmark 3
23 landmark 2 to landmark 3
24 landmark 2 to landmark 7
25 landmark 2 to landmark 4
26 landmark 3 to landmark 4
27 landmark 3 to landmark 10
28 landmark 4 to landmark 7
29 landmark 5 to landmark 7
30 landmark 5 to landmark 9
31 landmark 5 to landmark 10
32 landmark 9 to landmark 10
33 landmark 7 to landmark 9
34 landmark 9 to landmark 11
35 transverse width from landmark 12 to landmark 12
269
270
APPENDIX 111
Component
2
Component
Variable
0.152
v5
v6
0.100
v9
0.185
vIO
0.256
vIl
0.247
v12
0.293
0.251
v13
v14
0.188
0.172
v15
v17
0.126
v18
0.242
v19
0.136
v20
0.284
v23
0.078
v24
0.036
-0.070
v25
v26
0.076
v27
0.170
0.235
v28
v29
0.238
v30
0.251
v31
0.146
0.004
v32
0.201
v33
v34
0.216
v35
0.297
% variance
53.7
cumulative % variance
53.7
Numerical results of LACM 7207 Analysis
n = 8
P = 16
0.052
0.102
-0.059
-0.086
-0.568
-0.452
-0.001
-0.184
0.088
0.060
-0.125
0.217
-0.057
0.209
0.114
0.002
-0.033
0.009
0.306
0.283
0.102
0.141
0.026
0.154
0.174
0.146
23.1
76.8
-0.018
0.123
0.054
-0.006
0.078
-0.164
0.050
-0.106
0.095
-0.162
0.340
-0.103
0.009
0.086
-0.093
-0.236
-0.398
0.107
0.384
-0.201
-0.234
-0.099
-0.465
0.124
-0.208
-0.031
6.7
83.5
Component
Variable
v3
0.043
0.156
v4
v5
0.082
0.126
v6
v23
0.307
v24
0.186
0.113
v25
v26
0.257
v27
0.172
v28
0.342
v29
0.399
v30
0.307
0.247
v31
v32
0.328
0.327
v33
v34
0.262
48.3
% variance
48.3
cumulative % variance
Numerical results of YPM 1820 Analysis
n = 7
p = 9
0.408
0.342
0.410
0.080
-0.407
-0.086
-0.416
-0.025
0.122
0.273
0.140
-0.049
-0.103
-0.251
0.021
0.098
24.8
73.1
-0.451
-0.103
-0.015
0.115
0.048
0.071
-0.156
-0.536
-0.170
0.554
0.106
-0.233
-0.117
0.005
0.178
-0.061
15.4
88.5
-0.589
0.040
0.079
0.326
0.345
0.293
2
-0.457
vI
v2
0.076
v4
0.257
v5
0.194
v6
0.088
v7
0.301
v14
0.200
v17
0.158
v18
0.188
v19
0.172
v20
0.282
v23
0.020
0.046
v24
-0.071
v25
v26
0.129
v27
0.134
v28
0.211
v29
0.322
v30
0.333
0.166
v31
0.112
v32
% variance
59.4
cumulative % variance
59.4
Numerical results of USNM 4720 Analysis
n = 7
P = 7
3
0.010
0.190
0.502
4.5
94.8
0.492
0.187
0.059
-0.070
0.104
0.009
-0.335
0.065
-0.089
0.359
-0.168
0.361
0.173
0.166
0.133
-0.025
0.205
0.263
0.116
0.180
0.222
17.9
77.3
-0.182
0.047
0.116
0.190
0.090
-0.057
-0.203
-0.065
-0.416
-0.020
-0.178
-0.148
0.070
-0.261
-0.408
-0.095
0.485
0.200
-0.234
-0.107
-0.131
11.5
88.8
Component
Component
Variable
vI
v2
v6
v7
v13
v18
Variable
0.125
0.663
v19
-0.196
v20
0.377
0.419
v35
0.268
10.6
% variance
79.7
cumulative % variance
79.7
90.3
Numerical results of USNM 1201 Analysis
n = 6
P = 21
Component
0.297
0.445
0.242
0.246
-0.004
-0.214
0.158
-0.517
-0.157
-0.056
0.120
-0.615
2
Variable
-0.910
vI
0.290
v2
0.115
0.319
v3
0.303
0.071
v5
0.133
0.484
-0.003
v6
0.362
0.559
0.213
v7
v19
0.362
0.065
% variance
67.7
15.8
cumulative % variance
67.7
83.5
Numerical results of AMNH 970 Analysis
n = 8
p = 10
Component
2
Variable
v5
v6
v7
v8
v12
v13
v14
v18
v20
v35
% variance
cumulative % variance
0.198
0.131
0.334
0.237
0.409
0.324
0.287
0.368
0.384
0.373
72.6
72.6
0.149
0.241
0.226
0.080
-0.760
0.147
-0.266
-0.032
0.096
0.427
16.0
88.6
3
-0.176
0.422
-0.560
-0.304
-0.031
-0.179
0.593
12.9
96.4
3
0.329
0.185
0.223
-0.376
-0.279
0.072
0.525
0.303
-0.273
-0.377
5.5
94.1