In Depth        Gryphoceratops is something of an enigma since while it seems to be one of the oldest leptoceratopsids it also appears to have been one of the most advanced.†‬Additionally while the type specimen is only that of a right lower jaw,†‬Gryphoceratops may actually be the smallest leptoceratopsid.†‬Another leptoceratopsid called Unescoceratops was … Read more
In Depth        Cedarpelta is not a particularly famous ankylosaurid dinosaur,†‬and it does not have a huge amount of fossils attributed to it.†‬However it was the first ankylosaurid genera where a skull was found disarticulated†(‬broken up during fossilisationâ€)‬.†‬This might initially sound like a bad thing,†‬but usually ankylosaurid skulls are found articulated,†… Read more
Kongonaphon: Research Database Ornithischia (Dinosauria) · Late Triassic (~237–228 MYA) ·> Africa — Madagascar (Isalo II Formation) Research Note: Kongonaphon was a small ornithischian from the Late Triassic of Madagascar. As one of the earliest known ornithischian dinosaurs, it provides critical data on the early diversification of ornithischians and the evolutionary origins of pterosaurs. … Read more
Hyperodapedon: Research Database Theropoda · Cretaceous · Unknown Research Note: Hyperodapedon was a theropoda from the Cretaceous of Unknown, providing important data on prehistoric life and ecosystem dynamics. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method Citation Impact Benton 1983: Hyperodapedon and related taxa Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences … Read more
Tachiraptor: Research Database Theropoda (Dinosauria) · Early Jurassic (~200-190 MYA) · South America — Venezuela (La Quinta Formation) Research Note: Tachiraptor was an early theropod from the Early Jurassic of Venezuela — one of the few known dinosaurs from Venezuela and an important taxon for understanding early theropod evolution and the diversification of dinosaurs … Read more
Yaguarasaurus: Research Database Mosasauridae (Squamata) · Late Cretaceous (~70 MYA) · South America — Brazil Research Note: Yaguarasaurus was a mosasaurid from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil — an important taxon for understanding mosasaurid evolution in the Cretaceous of South America. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method Citation Impact Bastiaans et al. 2020: … Read more
Datanglong: Research Database Sauropoda (Dinosauria) · Early Cretaceous (~120 MYA) · Asia — China (Guangxi) Research Note: Datanglong was a sauropod from the Early Cretaceous of Guangxi, China — an important taxon for understanding sauropod evolution in the Early Cretaceous of Asia. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method Citation Impact Mannion & Barrett … Read more
In Depth        Dongyangosaurus is a genus of titanosaurid dinosaur that is known to have lived in China at some point during the earlier stages of the late Cretaceous,†‬Though only known from partial remains,†‬Dongyangosaurus has been confidently identified as a saltasaurid titanosaur,†‬and similar in form to Saltasaurus which is known from South America.†… Read more
In Depth        A relative of genera such as Tanystropheus and Dinocephalosaurus,†‬Augustaburiania may well represent one of the oldest known tanystropheid reptiles.†‬Beyond this though it is hard to be certain about more exact details of the living animal due to the current lack of more complete remains. Further Reading -†‬New tanystropheids†(‬Reptilia:†‬Archosauromorphaâ€) … Read more
In Depth        Rativates is a genus of ornithomimid dinosaur that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading -†‬A new ornithomimid theropod from the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta,†‬Canada.†‬-†‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.†‬-†‬B.†‬McFeeters,†‬M.†‬J.†‬Ryan,†‬C.†‬Schr�der-Adams†& ‬T.†‬M.†‬Cullen†‬-†‬2016.