In Depth Proexochokefalos is a genus of marine crocodile that lived in European waters during the Jurassic. Further Reading - The phylogenetics of Teleosauroidea (Crocodylomorpha, Thalattosuchia) and implications for their ecology and evolution. - PeerJ. 8: e9808. - Michela M. Johnson, Mark T. Young & Stephen L. Brusatte - 2020
In Depth Sinomacrops is a genus of anurognathid pterosaur that lived in South-East Asia during the Jurassic. Even when compared to other anurognathids, Sinomacrops seems to have been tiny and was probably a hunter of insects. When compared to other anurognathid genera, Sinomacrops seems to have been similar to another tiny pterosaur called Batrachognathus. Further … Read more
In Depth Ichthyostega is considered to be one of the important transitional links between marine and fully terrestrial vertebrates. With lungs that were surrounded by a rib cage that was composed of overlapping ribs, Ichthyostega was able to spend time upon the land without suffocating under its own weight. The spine was also stronger with … Read more
In Depth The taxonomic history of Erectopus is a little muddled, but to begin with Erectopus was named as a species of Megalosaurus, M. superbus. This was in 1882 when Henri-�mile Sauvage added fossil remains to a private collection owned by Louis Pierson that had first been described in 1875 by Charles Barrois. Then when … Read more
In Depth Like with Rapator and Ozraptor, Kakuru has been named from a single bone. Also like with Raptor, the type specimen of Kakuru has been turned to opal. The exact classification of Kakuru has been hard to establish because of the lack of identifiable remains. What can be said is that Kakuru was likely … Read more
In Depth Pisanosaurus is easily one of the oldest ornithischian dinosaurs that are currently known to science. Unfortunately the holotype specimen is very fragmentary, and details such as the orientation of the pubic bone are still unknown. Despite this the basic orithopod body form can still be clearly seen, Pisanosaurus is a good indicator for … Read more
In Depth about Pyrotherium Pyrotherium was a fairly large and heavily built quadrupedal mammal that seems to have been similar to primitive elephants that were living in other parts of the world. This is yet another case of convergent evolution that is displayed by South American mammals which during this time would have been living … Read more
In Depth In terms of size Marshosaurus was a middle of the range theropod but one that seems built for strength. Aside from the fairly robust skull, the short but thick humerus of the arms indicates that Marshosaurus was adapted for holding onto and physically subduing its prey. A right ilium (hip bone) of Marshosaurus … Read more
In Depth Xiyunykus is a genus of alvarezsaurid dinosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. In terms of alvarezsaur evolution, Xiyunykus shows an intermediate development between primitive ancestors and more developed descendents. Care should be taken not to confuse the Xiyunykus with the similarly named alvarezsaur Xixianykus. Further Reading - Two early Cretaceous … Read more
In Depth Robertia is a genus of small dicynodont that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Robertia was probably a burrowing animal like its relative genus Diictodon, though Robertia is marked as different upon the basis of a larger mouth with increased palate size. Further Reading – On the anomodont reptiles from the Tapinocephalus … Read more