In Depth When first named in 2014, Atopodentatus made headlines around the world for the bizarre and hitherto unseen jaw arrangement. At the time of this reconstruction the jaws seemed to project forwards and then hook down and have numerous small teeth. These small teeth were postulated to have allowed Atopodentatus to filter out small … Read more
In Depth In 1876 Richard Owen named a new species of Poekilopleuron called P. pusillus. In 1879 this species was adjusted to P. minor by Edward Drinker Cope. Then in 1887 Harry Govier Seeley renamed this species as a new distinct genus, Aristosuchus. However, despite the name ‘suchus’ which is Ancient Greek for crocodile, this … Read more
In Depth Daemonosaurus has a distinguished skull that is unlike any other dinosaur currently known from the time. The upper teeth are mounted in a short snout and protrude forwards from the tip. This is mirrored in the lower jaw and was the inspiration for the type species name D. chauliodus that loosely translated means … Read more
In Depth Dahalokely is so far only known by very incomplete remains, but if it’s identification as an abelisauroid is correct, then it certainly was very small for its type. Alternatively, if Dahalokely turns out to be a noasaur, a group of theropods closely related to abelisaurs, then it would be expected to have a … Read more
In Depth Biarmosuchus is noted as being a primitive theraspid, the group of mammal like reptiles that evolved from the pelycosaurs, and whose descendents would go onto becoming the first mammals. As a predator, Biarmosuchus was likely a fast hunter capable of running down its prey. This is evidenced by its long slender limbs that … Read more
In Depth Dyslocosaurus is a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the late Jurassic. It is unknown exactly where the type fossils of Dyslocosaurus are known from as when they were first discovered they only had ‘Lance Creek’ written on them. There is a Lance Formation that is named after … Read more
In Depth Kansaignathus is a genus of velociraptorine dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Central Asia during the late Cretaceous. Further reading - A New Theropod Dinosaur (Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Tajikistan. - Doklady Earth Sciences. 499 (1): 570–574. - A. O. Averianov & A. V. Lopatin - 2021.
In Depth Phiomia was a primitive proboscean of the Eocene/Oligocene that was still quite similar in appearance to a modern elephant. One of the key features about Phiomia was the lower mouth where two tusks grew forwards into a shovel-like structure. This may have been used to shovel up plants from out of the ground, … Read more
In Depth Artiocetus was an important transisitional find because individuals of this genus still possessed artiodactyl-like ankles. In modern palaeontology whales have long been thought to have descended from land living artiodactyl ancestors, specifically anthracotheres, and the observation of artiodactyl ankles in a primitive whale is further proof of this theory. Although a whale ancestor, … Read more
In Depth One of the hyaenodonts, Tritemnodon means ‘three cutting tooth’ and is a reference to how the teeth were formed for greater slicing efficiency, something that hyaenodonts have a reputation for being able to with the greatest ease. The relatively small stature and gracile build of Tritemnodon means that these were most likely predators … Read more