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Proceratosaurus bradleyi

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description Proceratosaurus bradleyi Overview

Proceratosaurus bradleyi is an extinct species of early tyrannosauroid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Middle Jurassic period in what is now England. It was originally misidentified as a relative of Ceratosaurus due to its nasal crest, but later phylogenetic analyses placed it as an early ancestor to the later giant tyrannosaurids. Unlike its massive later relatives, Proceratosaurus was a relatively small, lightweight predator. The specimen was discovered in the Great Oolite Group.

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Why was Proceratosaurus bradleyi first linked to Ceratosaurus?

Its partial skull had a nasal crest that looked like a Ceratosaurus horn, so Arthur Smith Woodward named it Megalosaurus bradleyi in 1910. Later analysis showed that resemblance was misleading and placed the animal among early tyrannosauroids. [Natural History Museum](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/proceratosaurus.html)

Where did Proceratosaurus bradleyi live, and how old is it?

The known fossil came from England and dates to the Middle Jurassic, roughly 169 to 164 million years ago. It was a small carnivorous theropod, but its exact appearance remains uncertain because only a partial skull is known. [Natural History Museum](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/proceratosaurus.html)

Was Proceratosaurus an early relative of Tyrannosaurus rex?

Yes. A 2010 phylogenetic study placed Proceratosaurus in Proceratosauridae with Guanlong, making it a basal tyrannosauroid rather than a close relative of Ceratosaurus. [Oxford Academic](https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/158/1/155/2732041)

What fossil material is actually known for Proceratosaurus bradleyi?

The species is based on a partial skull from England, rather than a complete skeleton. That limited evidence makes exact estimates of its body length and posture more speculative than those for better-known tyrannosaurs. [Natural History Museum](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/proceratosaurus.html)

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