Occurrence of Centrosaurus apertus (Ceratopsidae: Centrosaurinae) in Saskatchewan, Canada, and expanded dinosaur diversity in the easternmost exposure of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Dinosaur Park Formation

Researchers have identified the presence of Centrosaurus apertus and Citipes elegans in Saskatchewan, Canada, within the Late Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation (DPF). This discovery expands the known habitat range of C. apertus to the most coastal environment recorded for this species, challenging previous palynostratigraphic interpretations of the DPF's age in this region. The study, based on diagnostic fossil specimens from a marginal marine bonebed near Lake Diefenbaker, suggests that the DPF in Saskatchewan is closer in age to the lower DPF in Alberta rather than its uppermost exposures. This finding supports the existence of a widely distributed metacommunity across these deposits, providing insights into biotic turnover during sea level rise at a geological timescale.

Demers-Potvin, A. V., & Larsson, H. C. E. (2024). Occurrence of Centrosaurus apertus (Ceratopsidae: Centrosaurinae) in Saskatchewan, Canada, and expanded dinosaur diversity in the easternmost exposure of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Dinosaur Park Formation. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 61(11), 1127–1155. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2023-0125