Hongshanosaurus

Hongshanosaurus, meaning “Red Hill lizard”, is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period.  It lived in what is now eastern Asia.  The only species known is H. houi.  The species name honors Hou Lianhai, a professor at the
Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) in Beijing.  Lianhai is the curator of the specimen.  The fossils were discovered in the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China.  The exact age of the formation was in dispute until radiometric dating based it positively in the Early Cretaceous, most likely the Barremian age of 130 to 125 million years ago. 

This dinosaur is known from the discovery of two skulls.  Based on comparisons to other similar relatives, this bipedal herbivore has been described as small with a bony beak at the end of the upper and lower jaws.  The skull of the holotype specimen was only 2 inches long.  A larger adult skull was also found, measuring 8 inches long.