In Depth An otherwise unassuming little reptilomorph, the presence of Tseajaia in the earlier half of the Permian period is at least proof that some reptilomorphs made it this far in Earth’s history. The teeth of Tseajaia are notably blunt which has led to the idea that Tseajaia may have been slightly if not exclusively … Read more
In Depth Although so far known from only a single partial skull, Acristatherium is thought to represent one of the oldest known eutherian mammals. Acristatherium probably spent most of the time hunting for invertebrate prey which could easily be caught and processed by the small but sharp teeth, while trying to stay out of sight … Read more
In Depth Not much is known about Oedaleops other than it was similar to Eothyris, another synapsid that is only known from its skull. Oedaleops has slightly larger canine teeth that are thought to have been of use in capturing small prey like insects. Further Reading – Oedaleops campi (Reptilia: Pelycosauria) New Genus and Species … Read more
In Depth Laccotriton was a genus of salamander that lived in China during the late Jurassic. Laccotriton does show a resemblance to the genus Sinerpeton. Further Reading - First Report of a Mesozoic Urodele from China. - Chinese Geology, v. 1, p. 247-248. - K. Q. Gao, Z, W, Cheng & X. Xu - 1998. … Read more
In Depth Alierasaurus is a genus of caseid synapsid that lived in Sardinia during the Permian. Because Alierasaurus is only known from partial remains it is difficult to be certain about its full body size. However, these remains seem to be close to comparable in size to the huge Cotylorhynchus, one of the largest land … Read more
In Depth Anthracosaurus is believed to have been a member of the Embolomeri, a sub group of the reptilomorphs. So far only elements of the skull are known, but if Anthracosaurus had a body similar in form to it relatives like Archeria, then the body and tail would have been long and slender and up … Read more
In Depth Often known in the media as either ‘Dog Croc’ or ‘Rat Croc’, Araripesuchus is one of the better known terrestrial crocodiles. Study of the dentition reveals that Araripesuchus may have been a generalist hunter. This is indicated by sharp conical teeth towards the front of the mouth, with more rounded sturdier teeth towards … Read more
In Depth Because the holotype specimen of Morenosaurus is incomplete, it is hard to establish a precise classification of his plesiosaur, especially since the skull is unknown. It is probable however that Morenosaurus is an elasmosaurid (similar to Elasmosaurus) since these were the dominant kinds of plesiosaurs during the late Cretaceous. Additionally if this is … Read more
In Depth The chunky body and wide mouth of Beelzebufo meant that this prehistoric frog could have gulped down almost any small lizard or mammal that was unfortunate to come across it. Beelzebufo likely would have hunted on dry land and been a ‘sit and wait’ predator. This would involve Beelzebufo relying upon its colouration … Read more
In Depth Avaceratops was a relatively small ceratopsian dinosaur from the late Cretaceous of North America. What makes its classification difficult however is the fact that its neck frill is short and lacks any fenestrae (openings), and with the exception of others like Triceratops, ceratopsians can usually be divided into either centrosaurine or chasmosaurine groups, … Read more