A new ornithischian dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Kuwajima Formation of Japan

ABSTRACT A new ornithischian dinosaur, Albalophosaurus yamaguchiorum gen. et sp. nov., is described on the basis of a partial skull and lower jaw recovered from the Lower Cretaceous Kuwajima Formation (Tetori Group) of central Japan. The specimen exhibits a unique suite of characters in the dentition, maxilla, and dentary. A phylogenetic analysis recovers Albalophosaurus as a basal member of Ceratopsia: however, this placement is weakly supported and no unambiguous ceratopsian synapomorphies can be identified in the material. This new taxon should, therefore, be regarded as Cerapoda incertae sedis until further material is discovered. Nevertheless, Albalophosaurus offers additional information on the diversity of east Asian dinosaur faunas during the Early Cretaceous and represents only the third valid dinosaur taxon to be described from Japan.