In Depth The discovery of Xiaotingia caused some upset in the paleontological community because of its similarities to the world famous Archaeopteryx which has been hailed as the first bird since its discovery in 1861. This is because Xiaotingia is thought to be a dinosaur that is similar to a bird rather than a bird … Read more
In Depth Until 1970, Daspletosaurus was thought to be another specimen of Gorgosaurus. Both were active at the same time and location as one another, yet closer study of the Daspletosaurus revealed a much more powerful animal than the more lightly built Gorgosaurus. It has been surmised that the two predators may have focused their … Read more
In Depth Not much is known about this dinosaur except that the forelimbs appear to be quite large for a large carnivorous theropod. The discoverer theorised that it may of actually been quadrupedal, but this has since been refuted by other palaeontologists. Further Reading – [A new theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Sichuan … Read more
In Depth Qiupanykus is a genus of alvarezasurid dinosaur that lived in Asia towards the end of the Cretaceous. Eggs of oviraptorid dinosaurs found near the holotype skeleton of Qiupanykus have led the describers of the genus that maybe Qiupanykus, and perhaps other alvarezsaurs, used the stout claws on their forelimbs to punch holes in … Read more
In Depth Tangvayosaurus is a genus of titanosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now Laos during the early Cretaceous. Named from partial remains, fossils from a species of the Titanosaurus genus, ‘Titanosaurus’ falloti that is known from the same fossil bearing Formation that the Tangvayosaurus holotype fossils are known from, however some paleontologsts have … Read more
In Depth Kaijiangosaurus is only known from very fragmentary remains, so it is difficult to establish exactly where it belongs in relation with other dinosaurs. Further remains have been attributed to the genus but are currently undescribed, but some palaeontologists have leaned towards a classification within the Megalosauridae (the theropod dinosaur group typified by Megalosaurus). … Read more
In Depth Halszkaraptor is without doubt one of the most interesting dromaeosaurid dinosaurs ever discovered. Although a dromaeosaurid dinosaur, Halszkaraptor seems to have lived more like a modern day semi aquatic bird. Halszkaraptor could still walk about on land, the rear legs were easily strong enough for this. But the tail was not stiffened like … Read more
In Depth Fossils of Cruxicheiros were first discovered in 1960 when they were discovered in the Cross Hand Quarry of Warwickshire, which as you have no doubt already realised is the inspiration for the name Cruxicheiros which means ‘Cross Hand’. At the time the fossils were just lumped in with Megalosaurus, which has for a … Read more
In Depth Named after the Mapuche word for the Colorado River (Muyelen) Muyelensaurus was a genus of titanosaur that lived in Argentina during the Coniacian of the Cretaceous. Muyelensaurus is notable by being a particularly gracile genus of titanosaur. Further Reading A new titanosaur sauropod from the Late Cretaceous of Neuqu�n, Patagonia, Argentina. - Arquivos … Read more
In Depth The description of Loricosaurus was first based upon the discovery of osteoderm armour that was initially perceived to have come from an ankylosaur. Later it was realised that these osteoderms actually came from a titanosaur, however, by themselves they are not very diagnostic of a distinct genus, which is why Loricosaurus is widely … Read more