An exciting, newly discovered ceratopsian that lives along waterways in dense tropical forest. It is particularly common on the shores of the Pantanal where it uses it's remarkable tusk-like frill extensions to root for aquatic plants. Although currently placed in the Dinoceratopsidae, a new family may need to be erected to accomodate this as yet undescribed species. An indicator of what may still be left to discover in the poorly sampled Amazon jungle!

(Text by Brian Choo)

[Editor's Note: Subsequent to the "tusk-frill"'s initial description by Brian Choo, noted Old-World specbiologist Matti Aumala fielded another expedition to the Amazon, searching for a specimen of this peculiar species.  He succeeded in capturing a single male subadult of a species he then named Durocephalus boothi.  This specimen does indeed seem to be distinct from the remains of the even more cryptic "till-cheeked dinoceratopsid", but its relationships to the rest of dinoceratopsidae are still subject to debate, hence the species's classification as Dinoceratopsidae incertae sedis.]

(Picture by Matti Aumala)

    The heavily-built ramskull is the the best known  and poorly understood dinoceratopsian from the rainforests of Amazon. This tapir-sized animal has strong jaws and jugal horns suitable for digging, coupled with a thick bony skull that may be used for butting contests between males.

(Text by Matti Aumala)

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