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Ceratopsidae (ceratopsid)

Reptilia - Ceratopsidae

Taxonomy
Ceratopsidae was named by Marsh (1888). Its type is Ceratops. It was considered monophyletic by Sereno (2000).

It was corrected as Ceratopidae by Olshevsky and Ford (1994); it was considered a nomen dubium by Lull (1906).

It was assigned to Ornithopoda by Mansel-Pleydell (1902); to Postpubici by Jaekel (1911); to Orthopoda by Depéret (1896), Nopcsa (1901), Lambe (1905), Huene (1909), Lambe (1911); to Phytophagi by Jaekel (1914); to Predentata by von Zittel (1911), Gilmore (1919); to Dinosauria by Marsh (1888), Joleaud (1922); to Thyreophora by Nopcsa (1923), Nopcsa (1923), Nopcsa (1923), Huene (1927), Huene (1929); to Ceratopsoidae by Hay (1930); to Thyreophoroidea by Huene (1934); to Thyreophoroidea by Nopcsa (1928), Nopcsa (1929), Huene (1934); to Ceratopsia by Parks (1935); to Ponderopoda by Huene (1948), Huene (1959); to Ornithischia by Lapparent (1947), Madsen and Miller (1979); to Neoceratopia by Olshevsky and Ford (1994); to Ceratopsia by Marsh (1890), Marsh (1895), Marsh (1896), Hatcher et al. (1907), Matthew (1915), Gregory and Mook (1925), Russell (1930), Roxo (1937), Kuhn (1946), Huene (1950), Parsch (1963), Tatarinov (1964), Kuhn (1964), Estes (1964), Kuhn (1966), Romer (1966), Charig (1967), Swinton (1970), Thulborn (1971), Ostrom (1980), McIntosh (1981), McGinnis (1982), Sues and Galton (1982), Russell (1984), Maryanska and Osmólska (1985), Ostrom and Wellnhofer (1986), Bakker (1986), Carroll (1988), Nessov (1995); to Ceratopsomorpha by Wolfe and Kirkland (1998); to Coronosauria by Zheng et al. (2015); to Ceratopsoidea by Hay (1902), Zhao (1983), Norman (1984), Cooper (1985), Sereno (1986), Sereno (1997), Sereno (1998), Sereno (1999), Sereno (2000), Lambert et al. (2001), Makovicky (2001), You and Dodson (2003), Chinnery and Horner (2007), Farke et al. (2014), Morschhauser et al. (2019); to Neoceratopsia by Dodson and Currie (1990), Dodson (1990), Dodson (1997), Chinnery and Weishampel (1998), Penkalski and Dodson (1999), Peng et al. (2001), Chinnery (2004), Ryan and Evans (2005), Ryan (2007), Ryan et al. (2017), Dalman et al. (2018), Wilson et al. (2020); and to Ceratopsia by Tanoue et al. (2009), Brown and Henderson (2015), Rivera-Sylva et al. (2017), Fowler and Freedman Fowler (2020), Loewen et al. (2024).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1872Agathaumas Cope p. 2
1872Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 2
1872Agathaumas Cope pp. 481-483
1872Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 483
1873Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 1
1874Polyonax Cope p. 10ff
1874Polyonax mortuarius Cope p. 10ff
1874Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 18
1874Polyonax mortuarius Cope p. 25
1875Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 54
1875Polyonax mortuarius Cope p. 64
1875Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 435
1875Polyonax mortuarius Cope p. 448
1882Agathaumas Dollo
1882Agathaumas Marsh
1882Agathaumas Sauvage p. 35
1883Agathaumas Cope p. 99
1884Agathaumas Dollo p. 298
1884Agathaumas Marsh p. 69
1885Agathaumas Marsh p. 764
1887Bison alticornis Marsh
1888Bison alticornis Cannon p. 143
1888Ceratopsidae Marsh p. 478
1889Agathaumas sylvestris Cope
1889Agathaumidae Cope p. 16
1889Polyonax alticornis Cope p. 290
1889Agathaumas Cope p. 715
1889Agathaumidae Cope p. 715
1889Polyonax Cope p. 715–716
1889Polyonax mortuarius Cope p. 715–716
1889Polyonax Cope p. 906
1889Ceratops alticornis Marsh pp. 174-175
1889Triceratops galeus Marsh p. 174
1890Ceratopsidae Marsh p. 425
1890Agathaumas Zittel p. 751
1891Agathaumidae Baur p. 450
1891Agathaumas Cope p. 43
1891Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 43
1891Agathaumidae Cope p. 43
1891Polyonax Cope p. 43
1892Agathaumas Cope p. 758
1892Agathaumas sylvestre Cope p. 758
1892Agathaumas Seeley
1895Agathaumas Marsh
1895Ceratopsidae Marsh
1895Polyonax Marsh
1896Ceratopsidae Depéret p. 184
1896Agathaumas sylvestre Hatcher p. 113
1896Agathaumas Marsh p. 243
1896Ceratopsidae Marsh p. 243
1896Polyonax Marsh p. 243
1897Ceratops alticornis Marsh p. 512
1897Triceratops galeus Marsh p. 527
1898Agathaumas Cope p. 70
1898Agathaumas sylvestris Cope p. 70
1898Agathaumidae Cope p. 70
1900Ceratops alticornis Walcott p. 23
1901Ceratopsidae Nopcsa p. 209
1901Agathaumas Nopcsa p. 216
1901Agathaumas sylvestris Nopcsa p. 216
1902Agathaumas Hay p. 498
1902Agathaumas mortuarius Hay p. 498
1902Agathaumas sylvestris Hay p. 498
1902Ceratopsidae Hay p. 498
1902Triceratops galeus Hay p. 498
1902Ceratops alticornis Hay p. 500
1902Polyonax mortuarius Lambe p. 68
1902Ceratopidae Mansel-Pleydell p. lxxv
1905Ceratopsidae Lambe p. 49
1906Triceratops alticornis Cannon p. 198
1906Agathaumas Lull p. 144
1907Ceratopsidae Hatcher et al. p. 10
1907Agathaumas Hatcher et al. pp. 11, 104
1907Agathaumas sylvestris Hatcher et al. pp. 105, 168
1907Triceratops alticornis Hatcher et al. p. 170
1909Ceratopsidae Huene p. 17
1909Agathaumas Huene p. 18
1909Polyonax Huene p. 18
1909Agathaumas sylvestris Knowlton p. 270
1911Ceratopsidae Jaekel p. 161
1911Ceratopsidae Lambe p. 9
1911Ceratopsidae von Zittel p. 295
1911Agathaumas von Zittel p. 296
1913Agathaumas Tornier p. 375
1914Ceratopsidae Jaekel p. 197
1915Triceratops ingens Lull
1915Ceratopsidae Matthew p. 32
1919Ceratopsidae Gilmore p. 64
1922Ceratopsidae Joleaud p. 59
1923Ceratopsidae Nopcsa p. 106
1925Ceratopsidae Gregory and Mook p. 4
1927Ceratopsidae Huene p. 257
1927Agathaumas Huene p. 261
1927Agathaumas sylvestris Huene p. 261
1927Triceratops alticornis Huene p. 261
1927Triceratops galeus Huene p. 261
1928Ceratopsidae Nopcsa p. 185
1929Ceratopsidae Huene p. 155
1929Ceratopsidae Nopcsa p. 71
1930Ceratopsidae Hay p. 220
1930Triceratops alticornis Hay p. 228
1930Triceratops galeus Hay p. 229
1930Triceratops ingens Hay p. 229
1930Agathaumas Hay p. 230
1930Agathaumas sylvestris Hay p. 231
1930Polyonax Hay p. 231
1930Polyonax mortuarius Hay p. 231
1930Agathaumas Russell p. 140
1930Agathaumas sylvestris Russell p. 140
1930Ceratopsidae Russell p. 140
1931Triceratops alticornis Johnson p. 368
1931Triceratops galeus Johnson p. 368
1933Triceratops maximus Brown
1934Ceratopsidae Huene p. 15
1935Ceratopsidae Parks p. 185
1935Triceratops alticornis Schlaikjer p. 57
1937Ceratopsidae Roxo p. 65
1946Ceratopsidae Kuhn p. 66
1947Ceratopsidae Lapparent pp. 17-18
1948Ceratopsidae Huene p. 95
1950Ceratopsidae Huene p. 351
1956Agathaumas Romer p. 638
1959Ceratopsidae Huene p. 122
1963Ceratopsidae Parsch p. 4
1964Ceratopsidae Estes p. 145
1964Agathaumas Kuhn p. 54
1964Agathaumas silvestris Kuhn p. 54
1964Ceratopsidae Kuhn p. 54
1964Triceratops mortuarius Kuhn p. 59
1964Triceratops alticornis Kuhn p. 60
1964Triceratops galeus Kuhn p. 60
1964Triceratops ingens Kuhn p. 60
1964Triceratops maximus Kuhn p. 60
1964Triceratops maximus Russell p. 17
1964Ceratopsidae Tatarinov p. 581
1965Triceratops alticornis Ostrom p. 39
1965Triceratops galeus Ostrom p. 39
1965Triceratops maximus Ostrom p. 39
1966Ceratopsidae Kuhn p. 106
1966Ceratopsidae Romer p. 371
1967Ceratopsidae Charig p. 717
1970Ceratopsidae Swinton p. 254
1971Ceratopsidae Thulborn pp. 77-78 fig. 4
1979Ceratopsidae Madsen and Miller p. 5
1980Ceratopsidae Ostrom p. 23
1981Ceratopsidae McIntosh p. 41
1982Ceratopsidae McGinnis p. 96
1982Ceratopsidae Sues and Galton p. 189
1983Ceratopsidae Zhao p. 300
1984Ceratopsidae Norman p. 160 fig. 2
1984Ceratopsidae Russell p. 29
1985Agathaumas Breithaupt p. 170
1985Agathaumas sylvestris Breithaupt p. 170
1985Ceratopsidae Cooper pp. 292-293
1985Ceratopsidae Maryanska and Osmólska pp. 143-144 fig. 1
1986Ceratopsidae Bakker p. 461
1986Ceratopsidae Ostrom and Wellnhofer p. 116
1986Ceratopsidae Sereno
1987Ugrosaurus CoBabe and Fastovsky p. 149
1987Ugrosaurus olsoni CoBabe and Fastovsky p. 149 figs. 1-4
1988Ceratopsidae Carroll
1990Ceratopsidae Dodson p. 578
1990Ceratopsidae Dodson and Currie p. 611
1994Ceratopidae Olshevsky and Ford
1995Ceratopsidae Nessov p. 54
1997Ceratopsidae Dodson pp. 473, 475–476
1997Ceratopsidae Sereno p. 443
1998Ceratopsidae Chinnery and Weishampel pp. 578-579 fig. 10
1998Ceratopsidae Sereno p. 62
1998Ceratopsidae Wolfe and Kirkland p. 307 fig. 5
1999Ceratopsidae Penkalski and Dodson
1999Ceratopsidae Sereno p. 2138 fig. 2
2000Ceratopsidae Sereno p. 482
2001Ceratopsidae Lambert et al. p. 18
2001Ceratopsidae Makovicky p. 254 fig. 18.3
2001Ceratopsidae Peng et al. p. 35
2003Ceratopsidae You and Dodson
2004Ceratopsidae Chinnery pp. 584-585 fig. 9
2005Ceratopsidae Ryan and Evans p. 323
2007Ceratopsidae Chinnery and Horner p. 638 fig. 6
2007Ceratopsidae Ryan p. 391 fig. 12
2009Ceratopsidae Tanoue et al. p. 426
2014Ceratopsidae Farke et al.
2015Ceratopsidae Brown and Henderson
2015Ceratopsidae Zheng et al. p. 6 fig. 3
2017Ceratopsidae Rivera-Sylva et al.
2017Ceratopsidae Ryan et al.
2018Ceratopsidae Dalman et al.
2019Ceratopsidae Morschhauser et al. p. 129 fig. 10
2020Ceratopsidae Fowler and Freedman Fowler
2020Ceratopsidae Wilson et al.
2024Ceratopsidae Loewen et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
RankNameAuthor
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
—Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
—Crocopoda
—ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
—Eucrocopoda
—Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
—Ornithodira
—Dinosauromorpha
—Dinosauriformes
—Dinosauria()
—Ornithischia()
—Genasauria
—Cerapoda
—Marginocephalia
—Ceratopsia()
familyCeratopsidae
familyCeratopsidae

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. †Ceratopsidae Marsh 1888 [ceratopsid]
show all | hide all
Subfm. †Centrasaurinae Lambe 1915
+
Tr. †Albertaceratopsini Loewen et al. 2024
+
G. †Albertaceratops Ryan 2007
+
G. †Lokiceratops Loewen et al. 2024
+
†Lokiceratops rangiformis Loewen et al. 2024
G. †Medusaceratops Ryan et al. 2010
+
†Medusaceratops lokii Ryan et al. 2010
Subfm. †Centrosaurinae Lambe 1915
+
Unr. †Centrosaurini Ryan et al. 2017
+
G. †Centrosaurus Lambe 1905
+
†Centrosaurus apertus Lambe 1905
+
Invalid names: Centrosaurus longirostris Sternberg 1940 [synonym], Monoclonius cutleri Brown 1917 [synonym], Monoclonius dawsoni Lambe 1902 [synonym], Monoclonius flexus Brown 1914 [synonym]
G. †Coronosaurus Ryan et al. 2012
+
†Coronosaurus brinkmani Ryan and Russell 2005
G. †Rubeosaurus McDonald and Horner 2010
+
†Rubeosaurus ovatus Gilmore 1930
G. †Spinops Farke et al. 2011
+
†Spinops sternbergorum Farke et al. 2011
G. †Styracosaurus Lambe 1913
+
+
Invalid names: Monoclonius nasicornus Brown 1917 [synonym], Styracosaurus parksi Brown and Schlaikjer 1937 [synonym]
G. †Diabloceratops Kirkland and Deblieux 2010
+
†Diabloceratops eatoni Kirkland and Deblieux 2010
G. †Machairoceratops Lund et al. 2016
+
†Machairoceratops cronusi Lund et al. 2016
G. †Menefeeceratops Dalman et al. 2021
+
†Menefeeceratops sealeyi Dalman et al. 2021
G. †Monoclonius Cope 1876
+
†Monoclonius crassus Cope 1876
+
Invalid names: Monoclonius lowei Sternberg 1940 [synonym]
Invalid names: Monoclonius fissus Cope 1889 [nomen dubium], Monoclonius recurvicornis Cope 1889 [nomen dubium], Monoclonius sphenocerus Cope 1889 [nomen dubium]
Unr. †Nasutoceratopsini Ryan et al. 2017
+
G. †Avaceratops Dodson 1986
+
†Avaceratops lammersi Dodson 1986
G. †Crittendenceratops Dalman et al. 2018
+
†Crittendenceratops krzyzanowskii Dalman et al. 2018
G. †Furcatoceratops Ishikawa et al. 2023
+
†Furcatoceratops elucidans Ishikawa et al. 2023
G. †Nasutoceratops Sampson et al. 2013
+
†Nasutoceratops titusi Sampson et al. 2013
G. †Yehuecauhceratops Rivera-Sylva et al. 2017
+
†Yehuecauhceratops mudei Rivera-Sylva et al. 2017
Unr. †Pachyrhinosaurini Fiorillo and Tykoski 2012
+
G. †Achelousaurus Sampson 1994
+
†Achelousaurus horneri Sampson 1994
G. †Einiosaurus Sampson 1994
+
+
Invalid names: Styracosaurus makeli Czerkas and Czerkas 1990 [replaced]
G. †Pachyrhinosaurus Sternberg 1950
+
†Pachyrhinosaurus canadensis Sternberg 1950
†Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai Currie et al. 2008
†Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum Fiorillo and Tykoski 2012
Invalid names: Pachyrostra Fiorillo and Tykoski 2012 [empty]
G. †Sinoceratops Xu et al. 2010
+
†Sinoceratops zhuchengensis Xu et al. 2010
G. †Stellasaurus Wilson et al. 2020
+
†Stellasaurus ancellae Wilson et al. 2020
G. †Wendiceratops Evans and Ryan 2015
+
†Wendiceratops pinhornensis Evans and Ryan 2015
G. †Xenoceratops Ryan et al. 2012
+
†Xenoceratops foremostensis Ryan et al. 2012
Invalid names: Brachyceratops Gilmore 1914 [nomen dubium]
G. †Ceratopsipes Lockley and Hunt 1995
+
†Ceratopsipes goldenensis Lockley and Hunt 1995
Subfm. †Chasmosaurinae Lambe 1915
+
G. †Agujaceratops Lucas et al. 2006 [Aguja horned face]
+
†Agujaceratops mavericus Lehman et al. 2017
G. †Anchiceratops Brown 1914
+
†Anchiceratops ornatus Brown 1914
+
Invalid names: Anchiceratops longirostris Sternberg 1926 [synonym]
G. †Arrhinoceratops Parks 1925
+
G. †Bisticeratops Dalman et al. 2022
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†Bisticeratops froeseorum Dalman et al. 2022
G. †Bravoceratops Wick and Lehman 2013
+
†Bravoceratops polyphemus Wick and Lehman 2013
G. †Chasmosaurus Lambe 1914
+
†Chasmosaurus belli Lambe 1902
†Chasmosaurus russelli Sternberg 1940
+
Invalid names: Mojoceratops perifania Longrich 2010 [synonym]
Invalid names: Chasmosaurus brevirostris Lull 1933 [nomen dubium], Chasmosaurus kaiseni Brown 1933 [nomen dubium], Eoceratops Lambe 1915 [synonym], Mojoceratops Longrich 2010 [synonym], Monoclonius canadensis Lambe 1902 [nomen dubium], Protorosaurus Lambe 1914 [synonym]
G. †Coahuilaceratops Loewen et al. 2010
+
†Coahuilaceratops magnacuerna Loewen et al. 2010
G. †Judiceratops Longrich 2013
+
†Judiceratops tigris Longrich 2013
G. †Kosmoceratops Sampson et al. 2010
+
†Kosmoceratops richardsoni Sampson et al. 2010
G. †Navajoceratops Fowler and Freedman Fowler 2020
+
†Navajoceratops sullivani Fowler and Freedman Fowler 2020
G. †Pentaceratops Osborn 1923
+
+
Invalid names: Pentaceratops fenestratus Wiman 1930 [synonym]
G. †Sierraceratops Dalman et al. 2022
+
†Sierraceratops turneri Dalman et al. 2022
G. †Spiclypeus Mallon et al. 2016
+
†Spiclypeus shipporum Mallon et al. 2016
G. †Terminocavus Fowler and Freedman Fowler 2020
+
†Terminocavus sealeyi Fowler and Freedman Fowler 2020
Unr. †Triceratopsini Longrich 2011
+
G. †Eotriceratops Wu et al. 2007
+
†Eotriceratops xerinsularis Wu et al. 2007
G. †Regaliceratops Brown and Henderson 2015
+
†Regaliceratops peterhewsi Brown and Henderson 2015
G. †Titanoceratops Longrich 2011
+
†Titanoceratops ouranos Longrich 2011
G. †Torosaurus Marsh 1891
+
†Torosaurus latus Marsh 1891
+
Invalid names: Torosaurus gladius Marsh 1891 [objective synonym]
†Torosaurus utahensis Gilmore 1946
G. †Triceratops Marsh 1889
+
†Triceratops horridus Marsh 1889
+
Invalid names: Nedoceratops hatcheri Lull 1905 [synonym], Triceratops albertensis Sternberg 1949 [synonym], Triceratops brevicornus Hatcher and Lull 1905 [synonym], Triceratops calicornis Marsh 1898 [synonym], Triceratops elatus Marsh 1891 [synonym], Triceratops eurycephalus Schlaikjer 1935 [synonym], Triceratops flabellatus Marsh 1889 [synonym], Triceratops obtusus Marsh 1898 [synonym], Triceratops serratus Marsh 1890 [synonym]
†Triceratops prorsus Marsh 1890
Invalid names: Nedoceratops Ukrainsky 2007 [synonym], Ojoceratops Sullivan and Lucas 2010 [synonym], Sterrholophus Marsh 1891 [synonym], Tatankaceratops Ott and Larson 2010 [synonym], Triceratops sulcatus Marsh 1890 [nomen dubium]
G. †Utahceratops Sampson et al. 2010
+
†Utahceratops gettyi Sampson et al. 2010
G. †Vagaceratops Sampson 2010
+
†Vagaceratops irvinensis Holmes et al. 2001
+
Invalid names: Mercuriceratops gemini Ryan et al. 2014 [synonym], Pentaceratops aquilonius Longrich 2014 [synonym]
Invalid names: Mercuriceratops Ryan et al. 2014 [synonym]
Invalid names: Ceratops Marsh 1888 [nomen dubium]
Subfm. †Pachyrhinosaurinae Huene 1950
+
G. †Eucentrosaurus Chure and McIntosh 1989
Invalid names: Agathaumas Cope 1872 [nomen dubium], Agathaumidae Cope 1889 [synonym], Bison alticornis Marsh 1887 [nomen dubium], Ceratopsinae Abel 1919 [empty], Monocloniinae Nopcsa 1923 [empty], Polyonax Cope 1874 [nomen dubium], Triceratops galeus Marsh 1889 [nomen dubium], Triceratops ingens Lull 1915 [nomen dubium], Triceratops maximus Brown 1933 [nomen dubium], Ugrosaurus CoBabe and Fastovsky 1987 [nomen dubium]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
B. F. Nopcsa 1901Intermaxillare fogatlan. Szarvak es legyezöalaku parietale; praeorbitalis nyilás nincsen. Os rostrale. Csigolyák platycoelek. Elsö lábak a hátsókkal majdnem egyformák. Pubis durványos. Femur harmadik trochanter nélkül. Ersö pánczél; paták. (Az összes eddig ismert fajok a krétából valók.)

[Intermaxillary toothless. Horns and fan-shaped parietal; there is no preorbital opening. Rostral bone. Vertebrae platycoelous. Forelegs almost identical to hind legs. Pubis is rough. Femur without a third trochanter. Strong armor; hooves. (All species known so far are from Chalk.)]
B. F. Nopcsa 1928skull with nuchal fringe and generally with horns; no armour on body.
F. v. Huene 1948Two interorbital horns and another one on nose; double skull-roof with empty space between frontal and parietal; prefrontal bordering on nasal.
P. Dodson 1997Skulls are large, and prominent horns are found over either the nose or the eyes, but usually not both (except Pachyrhinosaurus). The frill formed by the parietal and squamosal bones typically is about as long as or longer than the rest of the skull. The frill may be additionally ornamented with scallops, spikes, or hooks. Parietal fenestrae may be large (Chasmosaurus and Pentaceratops) or absent (Avaceratops and Triceratops). The opening for the nostril is large. The sharp beak is toothless, as in most protoceratopsids. Ceratopsids had dental batteries consisting of numerous interlocking teeth in which the roots of each tooth are split by the tooth beneath it in the replacement series. Also unique to ceratopsids is the vertical orientation of the plane of contact between the upper and lower tooth batteries, resulting in a peculiar slicing action. The occipital condyle by which the back of the skull contacts the vertebral column is spherical and in some cases as large as a small grapefruit (up to 115 mm in diameter).
There are 10 fused sacral vertebrae in ceratopsids. The femur is always longer than the tibia, andthe ungual phalanges are blunt, rounded, and hoof-like.