In Depth        Elaphrosaurus has been something of an enigma for palaeontologists as while it is generally regarded as a ceratosaur,†‬its proportions are similar to some other kinds of theropods.†‬The overall appearance of Elaphrosaurus is that of a lightweight hunter that relied more upon speed rather than strength to take down prey.†‬The tibia … Read more
In Depth        Although often labelled as a duck billed dinosaur,†‬Saurolophus is more technically defined as a hadrosaurid due to its placement within†‬the Hadrosauroidea.†‬Even more specifically,†‬Saurolophus is defined as the type genus of the Saurolophinae,†‬the group of solid crested to crestless hadrosaurids that were previously known as hadrosaurines before the then … Read more
In Depth        Morawanocetus is a†‬genus of whale that is known to have lived†‬in the waters around what is now Japan as well as California in the USA during the Oligocene.†‬These discoveries indicate that Morawanocetus was widespread across the Pacific Ocean.†‬As a member of the Aetiocetidae,†‬Morawanocetus,†‬would have been a relative … Read more
In Depth        Woolungasaurus was an elasmosaurid plesiosaur,†‬the group that†‬are noted for having particularly long necks typified by the type genus Elasmosaurus.†‬Out of this large sub group of plesiosaurs,†‬Hydralmosaurus from North America is thought to be one of the most similar to Woolungasaurus.†‬Another elasmosaurid plesiosaur that Woolungasaurus would have shared its … Read more
In Depth        Talenkauen is a genus of small to medium sized ornithopod dinosaur that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous.†‬Noted for being similar in overall build to the much older Dryosaurus from North America,†‬some of the most notable features of Talenkauen include an arrangement of oval plates that run alongside the … Read more
In Depth        Although not as famous as Smilodon,†‬Xenosmilus was nonetheless an exceptionally powerful Pleistocene era big cat that is estimated to have weighed between†‬230-400†‬kg.†‬This estimate puts Xenosmilus within the same weight class as the largest species of Smilodon,†‬and even though it was smaller,†‬Xenosmilus would have been proportionately stronger for … Read more
In Depth        Named in†‬2015†‬alongside Kuttanacaiman and Caiman wannlangstoni,†‬Gnatusuchus was a small genus of caiman crocodile that lived in what is now Peru during the Miocene.†‬The part of Peru that Gnatusuchus is known from would have been an expanse of freshwater swamp at this time,†‬and in this swamp there seems to … Read more
In Depth        Pengornis is a genus of enantiornithine bird that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading -†‬Insight into diversity,†‬body size and morphological evolution from the largest Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird.†‬-†‬Journal of Anatomy†‬212â€(‬5â€)‬:565-577.†‬-†‬Z.†‬Zhou,†‬J.†‬Clarke†& ‬F.†‬Zhang†‬-†‬2008. – A subadult specimen of … Read more
In Depth        Nanolestes is a genus of amphitheriid mammal that lived during the Jurassic. Further Reading -†‬New stem-lineage representatives of Zatheria†(‬Mammaliaâ€) ‬from the Late Jurassic of Portugal.†‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology†‬22â€(‬2â€)‬:332-348.†‬-†‬T.†‬Martin†‬-†‬2002.
In Depth        Though most people have never heard of it,†‬Hyotherium may well be the genus that modern day boar and domestic pigs are descended from.†‬Unfortunately the only fossils that are usually found of Hyotherium are teeth with occasional skulls and lower jaws,†‬so it is difficult to ascertain an exact size range for … Read more