A hidden diversity of ceratopsian dinosaurs in Late Cretaceous Europe
Summary
This Nature paper reports a previously underappreciated diversity of ceratopsian (horned and near-horned) dinosaurs across the Late Cretaceous European archipelago. The authors present new specimens (including material referred to Ajkaceratops and the newly discussed Ferenceratops), µCT scans (MTM 2025.1.1 deposited on Zenodo) and detailed phylogenetic analyses. The results reveal multiple ceratopsian lineages in Europe, some showing clear Asian affinities, implying more complex dispersal and island-endemism patterns than was recognised.
Key Points
- New and re-examined specimens from Europe (Iharkút and other localities) reveal a richer ceratopsian record than previously known.
- High-resolution µCT data (MTM 2025.1.1) and digital skull reconstructions underpin the anatomical descriptions and comparisons.
- Phylogenetic analyses indicate multiple ceratopsian lineages in Late Cretaceous Europe, with some taxa showing affinities to Asian neoceratopsians.
- Evidence supports the idea of island-driven endemism and complex biogeographic routes across the European archipelago.
- Supplementary data, phylogenetic matrices and extended figures are provided, and raw CT data are archived on Zenodo for reuse.
Context and relevance
This work revises our picture of Late Cretaceous European ecosystems: rather than being depauperate or oddball, the archipelago hosted multiple ceratopsian lineages. That matters for anyone interested in dinosaur biogeography, island evolution, and macroevolutionary patterns in the run-up to the end-Cretaceous. It builds on prior finds (including the 2010 European ceratopsian report) but brings much stronger digital and phylogenetic evidence to bear.
Author style: Punchy — the paper is methodical but its implications are big: it forces a rethink of dispersal and diversification in European Mesozoic faunas.
Why should I read this?
Quick take: if you like dinosaurs, weird island faunas or how fossils rewrite biogeography, this is a neat, well-evidenced twist. The team dug up new bones, CT‑scanned them, ran modern phylogenies and show Europe wasn’t just a backwater — it had its own ceratopsian variety. Short, sharp and useful if you want the updated story without trawling the methods yourself.
Article metadata
Article Date: 07 January 2026
Article URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09897-w
Article Title: A hidden diversity of ceratopsian dinosaurs in Late Cretaceous Europe
Article Image: (not provided)