In Depth        Youngina is a genus of diapsid reptile that lived in what is now South Africa during the late Permian.†‬The skull is roughly triangular with a snout that is about half the total length of the skull.†‬The teeth are conical and well developed,†‬and may have been used for killing larger invertebrates … Read more
In Depth        With remains that were found in Campanian age rocks Terminonatator†‬was possibly one of the last elasmosaurid plesiosaurs to swim in the ocean.†‬This is a far cry away from the Jurassic heyday of the plesiosaurs when they were one of the most common types of marine reptile in the ocean.†‬In the … Read more
In Depth        A close relative to Vulcanodon,†‬Tazoudasaurus was quite a bit larger than its more famous cousin,†‬though still small when compared to many of the sauropods of the late Jurassic.†‬Also,†‬although known only from partial remains,†‬Tazoudasaurus is still represented by the most complete early Jurassic sauropod remains known.†‬V-shaped wear patterns … Read more
In Depth        Cacops had many bony plates mainly concentrated along its back. These plates may have given it some protection from other terrestrial predators of the time. The large otic notch at the back of the skull suggests that Cacops had good hearing. Cacops itself was a predator, likely feeding upon invertebrates and smaller vertebrates. … Read more
In Depth        Phasmagyps is usually credited as being possibly the oldest member of the Cathartidae group of birds,†‬better known as the New World Vultures.†‬However because this genus is so far only represented by a partial leg bone,†‬some researchers have questioned if it actually is a vulture.†‬Additionally the genus is sometimes considered … Read more
In Depth        Although often compressed,†‬and incomplete,†‬Clelandina skulls have been noted as being particularly broad while having short snouts.†‬These are two significant developments that may indicate that Clelandina had a particularly strong bite force.†‬A wider skull would allow for greater room for larger†(‬and hence more powerfulâ€) ‬jaw closing muscles,†‬while the … Read more
In Depth        Abyssomedon is the first genus of nyctiphruretid procolophonomorph to be identified as living in North America. Further Reading -†‬The first record of a nyctiphruretid parareptile from the Early Permian of North America,†‬with a discussion of parareptilian temporal fenestration.†‬-†‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society†‬172:616-630.†‬-†‬M.†‬MacDougall†& ‬R.†… Read more
In Depth        The genus Agnosphitys seems to be destined to cause a lot of confusion in the future.†‬To start there is no universal agreement upon the classification of Agnosphitys with some considering it to be an archosaur,†‬a dinosauromorph to even a distinct saurischian dinosaur.†‬To further add to the controversy,†‬there has even … Read more
In Depth        Istiodactylus had actually been known to science since 1913 except it was known as Ornithodesmus until it was realised that some of the remains associated to it belonged to a theropod dinosaur. With this realisation the known pterosaur remains were renamed Istiodactylus.        Istiodactylus had quite a unique beak that was rounded at the … Read more
In Depth Further Reading – Two forms of cave lion: Middle Pleistocene Panthera spelaea fossilis Reichenau, 1906 and Upper Pleistocene Panthera spelaea spelaea Goldfuss, 1810 from the Bďż˝snik Cave, Poland – Adrian Marciszak & Krzysztof Stefaniak – 2010. – The hunted hunter: the capture of a lion (Panthera leo fossilis) at the Gran Dolina site, … Read more