In Depth        Iberospondylus is a genus of temnospondyl amphibian that lived in the Iberian Peninsula of Spain during the late Carboniferous.†‬Two interesting points about Iberospondylus are that the genus is one of the oldest known,†‬and extends the range of such creatures living in Spain by forty-five million years.†‬Additionally,†‬fossils of Iberospondylus have … Read more
In Depth        Rhamphorhynchus is one of the classic pterosaurs that have been known to science since the early days of palaeontology.†‬It had what appears to have been a sizeable distribution and aside from the above locations,†‬Rhamphorhynchus specimens have also been attributed to other European countries like the United Kingdom.†‬Unfortunately however,†‬these specimens … Read more
In Depth        Mixocetus was a genus of baleen whale known to have swum in the oceanic waters off California during the late Miocene epoch. Further Reading -†‬A new cetothere from the Modelo Formation at Los Angeles,†‬California.†‬-†‬Carnegie Institution of Washington†‬447:83-104.†‬-†‬R.†‬Kellogg†‬-†‬1934.
In Depth        A relative of amphibians such as Platyhystrix and Cacops,†‬Zygosaurus was a cacopine temnospondyl that lived in Russia during the Permian. Further Reading – Uber die Saurier des kupferfhrenden Zechsteins Russlands. – Bulletin de la Societe National Moscou (in Russian). 21: 136–204. – Eduard Eichwals – 1848.
In Depth        Superficially, Utahraptor appears to be an earlier, scaled up version of Deinonychus. Specimens of Utahraptor are fragmentary but suggest a potential size of up to seven meters long, with some more conservative estimates falling nearer six meters long. These estimates make Utahraptor a contender for one of the largest known dromaeosaurid dinosaurs, but … Read more
In Depth        Gongbusaurus is a genus of small ornithischian dinosaur that lived in China during the Jurassic. Further Reading – â€[‬Dinosaurs from the Jurassic of Sichuanâ€]‬.†‬-†‬Palaeontologica Sinica,†‬New Series C,†‬Whole Number†‬162â€(‬23â€)‬:1-136.†‬-†‬Z.†‬Dong,†‬S.†‬Zhou†& ‬H.†‬Zhang†‬-†‬1983.
In Depth        As a procolophonian parareptile,†‬Owenetta is†‬a†‬basal member of the group that is confirmed to have lived at the end of the Permian.†‬However the full temporal range of Owenetta may in fact extend further than this into the early Triassic,†‬although this is a matter of contention.†‬For a while a … Read more
In Depth        Whereas its relative Hipparion spread across North America,†‬Eurasia and Africa,†‬Neohipparion is so far only known from North America,†‬from Southern Canada to across most of the United States and Mexico.†‬Neohipparion appeared on the North American landscape at a time when grassy plains were replacing forests as the dominant habitats,†‬a … Read more
In Depth        Ennatosaurus is a genus of caseid pelycosaur that in Russia during the later stages of the Permian.†‬These kinds of pelycosaurs are noted for their herbivorous diets and powerful fore limbs which may have been used for digging up plants.†‬The most interesting thing about Ennatosaurus is that when the first remains were … Read more
In Depth        Jeholotriton is a genus of salamander that lived in China towards the end of the mid-Jurassic. Further Reading -†‬A new salamander†(‬Amphibia:†‬Caudataâ€) ‬from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota.†‬-†‬Vertebrata PalAsiatica†‬38:100-103.†‬-†‬Y.†‬Wang†‬-†‬2000.