Serendipaceratops

Serendip horned face

• Serendip · Arabic (via English) · old name for Sri Lanka; source of 'serendipity'
• cera- · Greek · horn
• -ops · Greek · face

The name combines "Serendip", an old Arabic name for Sri Lanka, with the Greek "ceratops" (horned face), the ending used for many horned dinosaurs. It plays on the word "serendipity" and honours Arthur C. Clarke, the science-fiction writer who lived in Sri Lanka. The type species, S. arthurcclarkei, is named for him directly.

Named by

Rich and Vickers-Rich

Year named

2003

Period

Early Cretaceous

Stage

Aptian

Found in

Wonthaggi Formation, Victoria, Australia

It is known only from a single ulna (forearm bone). It was first described as a very small ceratopsian, but later studies doubt this and suggest it may be a theropod, possibly a relative of the megaraptorans or another group. Its validity and classification are uncertain, and some researchers treat it as doubtful (a possible nomen dubium).