In Depth        Leptostomia is a genus of pterosaur that lived in North Africa during the Cretaceous,†‬possibly at the boundary of the early and late periods of the Cretaceous.†‬Leptostomia is thought to have been a small pterosaur,†‬possibly possessing a very slim elongated beak.†‬This might have been a feeding adaptation for probing into … Read more
In Depth        Charruodon is a genus of cynodont that lived in South America during the Triassic. Further Reading -†‬A new therioherpetid cynodont from the Santa Maria Formation†(‬middle Late Triassicâ€)‬,†‬southern Brazil.†‬-†‬Geodiversitas†‬22†(‬4â€)‬.†‬-†‬F.†‬Abdala†& ‬A.†‬M.†‬Ribeiro†‬-†‬2000.
In Depth        Like with Liaoningosaurus,†‬Zhongyuansaurus was first described as a†‬nodosaurid,†‬but later identified as an ankylosaurid.†‬Further study has identified Zhongyuansaurus as the most basal†(‬primitiveâ€) ‬ankylosaurine,†‬the group of ankylosaurs that contains the more advance forms that began to appear as the Cretaceous progressed.†‬So basal in fact was Zhongyuansaurus,†‬that it … Read more
In Depth        A relative of the gomphothere elephants,†‬Stegomastodon along with Cuvieronius was one of only two known elephant genera to spread into South America†(‬remains once considered to belong to the Mammut genus are now assigned to these two generaâ€)‬.†‬Unlike other gomphothere elephants†(‬those like Gomphotheriumâ€)‬,†‬Stegomastodon only had two tusks that grew … Read more
In Depth        Mercuriceratops is a genus of chasmosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur that lived in North America during the Cretaceous.†‬Unfortunately not much is known for certain about Mercuriceratops,†‬however,†‬it has been speculated to have been comparable to Chasmosaurus in size. Further Reading -†‬A new chasmosaurine from northern Laramidia expands fill disparity in ceratopsid dinosaurs.†… Read more
In Depth        Like with many dinosaurs,†‬the remains of Elaltitan were originally described as belonging to another genus.†‬Originally assigned by Bonarparte and Gasparini to Antarctosaurus in†‬1979,†‬the remains were later described as Argyrosaurus by Jaime Powell.†‬Later study of the remains by Philip Mannion and Alejandro Otero led to several key differences being … Read more
In Depth        Once considered a transitional form between archosaurs and lizards,†‬palaeontologists are no longer as certain as they once were as to exactly how Prolacerta were related to these groups.†‬One key observation is that the teeth are rooted deep and fused to the bones,†‬and not loosely implanted like the teeth of known … Read more
In Depth        Kukufeldia is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur that is known only from a partial jawbone.†‬Most researchers have considered the genus to be a nomen dubium while others have proposed a synonymy with Barilium. Further Reading -†‬A new basal iguanodont†(‬Dinosauria:†‬Ornithischiaâ€) ‬from the Wealden†(‬Lower Cretaceousâ€) ‬of England.†‬-†‬Zootaxa,†‬2569:†… Read more
In Depth        The broad range of fossils discovered around the world suggests that the bony fish Xiphactinus had a cosmopolitan distribution.†‬A comparable similar fish with regards to appearance is the modern day Tarpon.†‬Although Tarpon are not related to the ancient Xiphactinus,†‬their streamlined bodies and strongly upturned mouths bear a striking resemblence.        One … Read more
In Depth        Polysternon is a genus of bothremydid turtle that is known to have lived in Western Europe during the latest stages of the Cretaceous. Further Reading -†‬The youngest species of Polysternon:†‬A new bothremydid turtle from the uppermost Maastrichtian of the southern Pyrenees.†‬-†‬Cretaceous Research†‬35:†‬133â€â€“‬142†‬-†‬J.†‬Marmi,†‬�.H.†‬Lujďż˝n,†… Read more