Chaoyangsaurus and the Ceratopsians

Chaoyangsaurus was initially described in 1999 by Zhao, Cheng, and Xu in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology as an early ceratopsian from Liaoning, China. Their description included detailed maps of the region from where the fossils were recovered as well as detailed photographs of the type materials. Many of the remaining papers that reference the animal are more about the origins of ceratopsians and characteristics of the family that started showing up in animals like Chaoyangsaurus. These studies that mention the dinosaur include Xijin, et al.'s Houcheng Formation ceratopsian as well as Xu, et al.'s description of early ceratopsians and discussion about Liaoceratops. These discussions of the evolution of ceratopsians occur frequently in research and often discuss animals like Chaoyangsaurus, though not always of course, because the evolutionary history of ceratopsians is complicated and loaded with taxa.