In Depth Brontornis was easily one of the largest of the known South American ‘terror birds’, and as a member of the Brontornithinae it is noted as being one of the most robust in build. Whereas some terror birds could use their speed to run down prey, Brontornis would have been more suited to ambush … Read more
In Depth Faxinalipterus is a contender for the oldest known pterosaur, although some have put forward the notion that it may be a form of reptile just before true pterosaurs. Whichever may yet prove correct, the fact that Faxinalipterusis only known from a terrestrial location is taken by some to prove that pterosaurs evolved inland … Read more
In Depth One of the lesser known machairodonts, the placement of Adelphailurus within the machairodontinae has been questioned with speculation that it may be a false sabre-tooth. Adelphailurus also had a pair of second premolar teeth, a primitive feature that harks back to the early days of felid evolution. Although fossil remains of Adelphailurus are … Read more
In Depth Although in fish terms Thelodus were very primitive, this genus shows a development towards stronger open water swimming. Thelodus possessed a better developed tail, a dorsal fin (on the back), and anal fin (underside, near the tail) as well as rudimentary pectoral fins in the shape of flaps that could be angled to … Read more
In Depth Originally named as a species of Steneosaurus, S. baroni was found to represent a distinct genus in a university thesis written by Michela M. Johnson in 2019. The following year a new genus description was published for S. baroni, and thus the Andrianavoay genus was established. Andrianavoay was a thalattosuchian, but a more … Read more
In Depth Stratesaurus represents a genus of rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur, a type of plesiosaur noted for having a shorter neck and proportionately larger head than other plesiosaurs, though not to the extent of pliosaurs. The discovery of Stratesaurus in Hettangian aged rocks means that individual Stratesaurus were swimming in European waters near the Triassic/Jurassic boundary, which … Read more
In Depth With its incredibly long neck Omeisaurus is both a relative and possible comtempory to the more famous Mamenchisaurus. However previous Upper Shaximiao Formation fossils of Omeisaurus are now considered indeterminate. If Omeisaurus really does only exist in Lower Shaximiao deposits, then it may confirm that Mamenchisaurus replaced Omeisaurus since the former is only … Read more
In Depth Mendozasaurus is a genus of titanosaur that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous. Although only known from incomplete remains, Mendozasaurus is thought to have had quite a long neck as well as osteoderms in the skin. Osteoderm armour in the skin has been observed in some other South American titanosaurs, with … Read more
Interactive Mosasaurus Fossil Map & Timeline Chart Discover Mosasaurus with our interactive fossil map and geographical timeline chart. The fossil map pinpoints discovery sites worldwide, click each marker to see fossil ages and detailed references.. The interactive bar chart reveals how many Mosasaurus fossils were found across different geological ages, helping you visualize its prehistoric … Read more
In Depth Xingtianosaurus is a genus of caudipterid dinosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new caudipterid from the Lower Cretaceous of China with information on the evolution of the manus of Oviraptorosauria. - Scientific Reports. 9: Article number 6431. - Rui Qiu, Xiaolin Wang, Qiang Wang; Ning Li, … Read more