#kryptops palaios

[fundinofactoftheday]

Dinofact #107

Considered one of the earliest known abelisaurids, Kryptops is notable for the heavily textured surface of its maxilla, indicating that there was likely a covering, likely of keratin, attached firmly to its face. A cladistic analysis conducted by Paul Serano and Stephen Brusatte found Kryptops to be the most basal Abelisaurid known. A later study, however, by Matthew Carrano and colleagues, found Kryptops palaios to be a chimera, stating that its postcranial remains actually belong to a Carcharodontosaurid, possibly Eocarcharia dinops.

Source: Wikipedia

[saint-nevermore]

Wow two dinosaurs in a day! look at that. this colourful boy is kryptops palaios and he’s probably the most guesswork i’ve done in designing a dino since the skeleton is so fragmentary. i thought with a name like that he has to look extravagant.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Kryptops palaios

By Fraizer on @saint-nevermore

Name: Kryptops palaios 

Name Meaning: Old Covered Face

First Described: 2008

Described By: Sereno & Brusatte 

Classification: Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Ceratosauria, Neoceratosauria, Abelisauroidea, Abelisauria, Abelisauridae 

Kryptops was an early-derived abelisaurid from the Elrhaz Formation in Niger. It lived around 110 million years ago, in the Aptian-Albian age of the Early Cretaceous. It is one of the earliest known abelisaurids, and pits and impressions of blood vessels on the skull have lead to the implication that it may have had a covering of keratin on its face. It isn't, unfortunately, known from much material, mainly part of the upper jaw, vertebrae, and part of the pelvis. It was the contemporary of such animals such as Suchomimus and Ouranosaurus, and it was about 6-7 meters long. It had a broad snout and tall vertebral spines, giving it a ridge along its back. It was a carnivore and probably preyed upon the smaller animals in the area. Later researchers have considered it to be a chimera, however, so the jury is still out.

Sources: 

http://www.palaeocritti.com/by-group/dinosauria/ceratosauria/kryptops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kryptops

Shout out goes to hydrosnarf!