page_title: Timeline of ceratopsian research
section_title: 1980s
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of ceratopsian research / 20th century / 1980s
caption_attribution_description: Centrosaurus apertus, a ceratopsian from the Late Cretaceous of North America, pencil drawing, digital coloring
context_page_description: This timeline of ceratopsian research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the ceratopsians, a group of herbivorous marginocephalian dinosaurs that evolved parrot-like beaks, bony frills, and, later, spectacular horns. The first scientifically documented ceratopsian fossils were described by Edward Drinker Cope starting in the 1870s; however, the remains were poorly preserved and their true nature was not recognized. Over the next several decades, Cope named several such genera and species. Cope's hated rival, Othniel Charles Marsh, also described ceratopsian remains. In 1887, Marsh mistook a Triceratops horn for one belonging to a new species of prehistoric Bison. Marsh also named the eponymous genus Ceratops in 1888. The next year, he named the most famous ceratopsian, Triceratops horridus. It was the discovery of Triceratops that illuminated the ceratopsian body plan, and he formally named the Ceratopsia in 1890.
  The early 20th century was a fruitful time for ceratopsian research. In 1907, Hatcher and others published a monograph on ceratopsid anatomy that is still considered the single most significant publication on the topic to date.
context_section_description: 1981
  Colbert followed Lull's division of the Ceratopsidae into short-frilled and long-frilled forms.
  1983
  Cheng described the new species Psittacosaurus guyangensis.
  Bakhurina reported Psittacosaurus fossils from near the Berriasian-Valanginian boundary in the Sangiin Dala Nuur depression. Most Psittacosaurus fossils date to an age closer to the Barremian-Aptian boundary.
  1984
  Russell reported ceratopsid fossils from the Northwest Territories of Canada.
  Weishampel followed Ostrom's suggestion that ceratopsids fed on tough gymnosperms like palms and cycads.
  Phil Currie and Dodson hypothesized that the bonebeds preserving large numbers of individuals from a single ceratopsid species in channel deposits were formed by massive floods drowning herds of these dinosaurs.
  1985
  David Norman followed Lull's division of the Ceratopsidae into short-frilled and long-frilled forms.
  1986
  Paul Sereno named the Neoceratopsia.
  Dodson described the new genus and species Avaceratops lammersi.
  Ostrom supported the hypothesis that ceratopsids used their horns and frills in competition over mates.
  Ostrom and Peter Wellnhofer argued that the various described species of Triceratops showed no more anatomical variation between each other than can be observed between individuals of any given species of modern horned mammal. Consequently, they considered all 16 named species to be synonymous, leaving T. horridus as the only valid Triceratops species. They supported the hypothesis that ceratopsids used their horns and frills in competition over mates.
  Robert T. Bakker supported the interpretation of ceratopsid horns and frills hypothesizing their use in defense against predators like tyrannosaurids.
  1987
  Bakker illustrated ceratopsids with upright forelimbs.
  Gregory S. Paul illustrated ceratopsids with upright forelimbs.
  Brouwers and others reported ceratopsid remains from a site that would have been located at a latitude of 85 degrees North during the Cretaceous.
  Cobabe and Fastovsky described the new genus and species Ugrosaurus olsoni.
  Lehman reported that 61–71% of the fossils found in deposits dating to the end of the Cretaceous period belong to a few ceratopsids, like Torosaurus and Triceratops.
  Lehman argued that ceratopsids preferred coastal habitats over more inland regions.
  Parrish and others reported ceratopsid remains from the North Slope of Alaska.
  Farlow studied the diet and digestive physiology of herbivorous dinosaurs and concluded that ceratopsids probably had slow metabolisms for their body size and used gut microbes to break-down low quality plant material during digestion.
  Coe and others argued that ferns were probably a major food source for herbivorous dinosaurs like ceratopsids and may have grown in vast "prairies" that could feed large numbers of dinosaurs.
  Coombs recognized some Asian fossils purported to be isolated ceratopsid horns as actually belonging to armored ankylosaurs.
  1988
  Sereno and others described the new species Psittacosaurus meileyingensis.
  Sereno and Chao described the new species Psittacosaurus xinjiangensis.
  1989
  Lev Nesov, Kaznyshkina, and Cherepanov described the new genus and species Asiaceratops salsopaludalis.
  Nessov, Kaznyshkina, and Cherepanov described the new genus and species Turanoceratops tardabilis. The great age, Asian provenance, and supposedly ceratopsid-like anatomy of this taxon would stir controversy regarding the family's geographic origins.
  Daniel Chure and McIntosh described the new genus Eucentrosaurus.
  Lehman described the new species Chasmosaurus mariscalensis.
  Lehman claimed to have found evidence for sexual dimorphism in the horns and frills of chasmosaurines.
  Lehman reported a ceratopsian bonebed from Texas.
caption: Artist's restoration of Centrosaurus
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