Open Paleo

Koreaceratops

Lee et al., 2011 ko-REE-uh-SERR-uh-tops

From 'Korea' (referring to South Korea, where it was discovered) combined with Greek 'keras' (horn) and 'ops' (face); meaning 'Korean horned face'

113.2–100.5 million years ago Albian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Koreaceratops is a genus of basal ceratopsian dinosaur discovered in Albian-aged (Early Cretaceous) rocks of South Korea.

Under dispute

Koreaceratops hwaseongensis was described as a basal neoceratopsian, outside the clade of Cerasinops, Leptoceratopsidae and more derived ceratopsians (Lee and colleagues, 2011), while Morschhauser and colleagues (2018) recover it within the leptoceratopsid polytomy, with Montanoceratops in their agreement subtree.

Diagnosis

  1. Very tall neural spines over five times higher than associated centra in distal caudal vertebrae
  2. Astragalus surface divided into two fossae by prominent craniocaudal ridge on proximal surface
  3. Triangular-shaped calcaneum 1.5 times longer craniocaudally than astragalus in proximal view
  4. Tallest neural spines in distal tail (caudals 22-28) rather than middle of tail
  5. Caudal neural spines much longer than chevrons

Species

Koreaceratops hwaseongensis Lee et al., 2011

Type species

Named for Hwaseong City, South Korea, where the type specimen was found incorporated into the Tando seawall.

Holotype
KIGAM VP 200801 , Geological Museum of Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources
Material
Nearly complete tail with both ischia, partial distal hind limbs and feet; 36 caudal vertebrae, associated tarsals, metatarsals, phalanges
Horizon
Albian, Early Cretaceous , 113.2–100.5 million years ago
Locality
Tando embankment dam, Gyeonggi, South Korea Lee and colleagues (2011) give the horizon as the Tando beds, which none of the works cited for this taxon erects as a formation.

References

  1. Lee, Y. N.; Ryan, M. J.; Kobayashi, Y. (2011). The first ceratopsian dinosaur from South Korea. Naturwissenschaften 98(1): 39-49. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1007/s00114-010-0739-y

    Named Koreaceratops and recovered it as a basal neoceratopsian.

    lee2011a
  2. Morschhauser, E. M.; You, H.; Li, D.; Dodson, P. (2018). Phylogenetic history of Auroraceratops rugosus (Ceratopsia: Ornithischia) from the Lower Cretaceous of Gansu Province, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 38(sup1): 117-147. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/02724634.2018.1509866

    Recovered Koreaceratops within the leptoceratopsid polytomy, and with Montanoceratops in the agreement subtree.

    morschhauser2018a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Ornithischians. Princeton University Press.

    Treats Koreaceratops as just stemward of Leptoceratopsidae.

    jones2026a