In Depth Named after the Volga River, Volgadraco shows morphological features that show the transition from the more basal azdarchid pterosaurs to the later genera that existed at the end of the Cretaceous. Later studies however have concluded that Volgadraco may actually have been either a nyctosaurid or pteranodont pterosaur. Further Reading – A New … Read more
In Depth Phonerpeton was a fairly small temnospondyl amphibian that lived in what is now Texas during the early Permian. As a temnospondyl, Phonerpeton would have been a predator of other small vertebrates such as fish and smaller amphibians, though larger invertebrates may have also been taken. Further Reading - A new trematopsid amphibian (Temnospondyli: … Read more
In Depth Hailing from China’s world famous Yixian Formation, Sinovenator was a fairly small genus of troodontid dinosaur. Due to the small size, Sinovenator is perceived to have been a predator of smaller animals such as lizards and mammals. Further Reading - A basal troodontid from the Early Cretaceous of China. - Nature 415:780-784. - … Read more
In Depth Given that compsognathids usually grow to just over one meter in length, Sinocalliopteryx is the veritable giant of the group being even larger than others such as Huaxiagnathus. This large size meant that Sinocalliopteryx was not satisfied with the small lizards and mammals usually associated with their smaller kin, and is a notion … Read more
In Depth Loosely termed a catfish, Hypsidoris would have been a bottom dwelling predator of other aquatic creatures such as fish and invertebrates in the water systems that that been left behind by the receding Western Interior Seaway that had previously submerged most of central North America back in the Cretaceous and Palaeocene. Hypsidoris ‘tasted’ … Read more
In Depth Xuanhuaceratops represents the early ceratopsian form that was a small probably bipedal dinosaur that had developed the sharp cropping beak as well as the rudimentary beginnnings of the neck frill that would become so characteristic of the ceratopsians. Because of its small size Xuanhuaceratops probably had to rely upon speed and agility to … Read more
In Depth Patagotitan is a genus of titanosaurian dinosaur that lived in South America towards the end of the Early Cretaceous. Titanosaurs are often known by only a handful of fossils, but Patagotitan has proved to be an exception. At the time of writing Patagotitan is known from the partial post cranial remains of at … Read more
In Depth First named as a species of Pareiasaurus in 1985 by D. C. F. Araujo, from fossils recovered from the Rio do Rasto Formation in Brazil, the species was renamed as a distinct genus, Provelosaurus, in 1997. This decision was based upon the observation that Provelosaurus shows greater similarities to South African pareisaurs such … Read more
In Depth Fossils of Iberospinus were first discovered in 1999 and recovered over a period of a few years after. Initially thought to be further fossils of Baryonyx, they were later discovered to represent a new genus of spinosaurid dinosaur, leading to them being named as Iberospinus in 2022. While Iberospinus fossils show some development … Read more
In Depth Bolong is a genus of hadrosauroid dinosaur that lived in what is now China during the Early Cretaceous. The holotype individual is known from a partial skull and jaws, but a second specimen of a juvenile shows more of the post cranial skeleton. Further Reading – Bolong yixianensis gen. et sp. nov.: A … Read more