M. africanavus was an African mammoth that seems to have lived after M. subplanifrons and is important to researchers of elephants and mammoths because it is considered to be the ancestor of M. meridionalis (Southern mammoth). In turn the descendants of M. meridionalis would go onto to produce some of the more famous mammoth species such as M. trogontherii (Steppe mammoth) and M. primigenius (Woolly mammoth). … Read more
In Depth Beneziphius is a genus of beaked whale that lived in waters around Europe during the Miocene/Pliocene periods. Further Reading - Systematics and phylogeny of the fossil beaked whales Ziphirostrum du Bus, 1868 and Choneziphius Duvernoy, 1851 (Mammalia, Cetacea, Odontoceti), from the Neogene of Antwerp (North of Belgium). - Geodiversitas 27(3):443-497. - O. Lambert … Read more
In Depth Due to the incomplete nature of the holotype fossils, Ultrasaurus is today seen as a dubious genus of sauropod dinosaur, given that it would be near impossible to attribute further remains to the genus. Ultrasaurus is actually more famous for forcing a naming change in a North American genus of diplodocid dinosaur. In … Read more
Sivatherium: Research Database Theropoda · Cretaceous · Unknown Research Note: Sivatherium 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 Franz-Odendaal Chinsamy Lee-Thorp 2004: Sivatherium and related taxa Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Confirmed A 2004 Fossil Franz-Odendaal … Read more
In Depth Aguascalientia was a miniature camel that lived across the southern portions of the continent of North America, though it was not one of the ‘true’ camels that we know today. Its small size displays well how many of today’s larger mammals from camels to horses to even elephants had very humble beginnings in … Read more
Hungarosaurus: Research Database Stegosauria (Ornithischia) · Late Cretaceous (~83 MYA) · Europe — Hungary (Iharkút Mining Region) Research Note: Hungarosaurus was a stegosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Hungary — the most complete stegosaur known from Europe and an important taxon for understanding stegosaur survival in the Late Cretaceous of Europe. Research Finding … Read more
In Depth Lessemsaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur named in honour of the Don Lessem, an author noted for his work writing popular science books. Although Lessemsaurus is so far only based upon the description of vertebrae. These vertebrae are noted for having tall neural spines, something which may hint at a fleshy or … Read more
In Depth Remains of Brazilian dinosaurs are often noted as being incomplete (for example, the increasingly famous spinosaurid Oxalaia was named from only the tip of the snout), and Adamantisaurus was no exception to this since it was named from only six caudal vertebrae. These six vertebrae were originally written about in 1959 by Sergio … Read more
Rhinorex: Research Database Mesozoic · Fossil Record Research Note: Rhinorex was a significant fossil species providing important data on vertebrate evolution. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method Citation Impact Gates & Farke 2009: Rhinorex and hadrosaurid diversity in the Cretaceous Cretaceous Research Confirmed A 2009 Fossil Gates & Farke, Cretaceous Research Diversity Cruzado-Caballero … Read more
Agustinia: Research Database Titanosauria (Sauropoda) · Late Cretaceous (~95 MYA) · South America — Argentina (Neuquén Group) Research Note: Agustinia was a titanosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina — known for its unusual vertebral morphology and an important taxon for understanding titanosaur evolution in South America. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method … Read more