Protognathosaurus

In Depth        When first described in‭ ‬1988‭ ‬by Zhang Yihun this sauropod dinosaur genus was named as Protognathus.‭ ‬However it was soon realised that the name Protognathus had already been used to name a genus of beetle,‭ ‬so the dinosaur was renamed buy George Olshevsky to become Protognathosaurus in order to make it distinct from … Read more

Erlikosaurus

In Depth        Named after Erlik,‭ ‬the demon king in Mongolian mythology,‭ ‬Erlikosaurus was a ground breaking discovery as it was the first therizinosaurid skull known to science.‭ ‬Despite the overall lack of other skeletal material,‭ ‬this skull made Erlikosaurus a model for other therizinosaurids,‭ ‬which at the time were only known from their post cranial … Read more

Driveria

In Depth        Driveria is a genus of tapinocephalid dinocephalian synapsid that lived in what is now Texas during the mid Permian.‭ ‬Driveria was named in honour of O.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Driver,‭ ‬the owner of the ranch where the type remains of Driveria were found. Further Reading -‭ ‬Late Permian terrestrial vertebrates,‭ ‬U.S.A.‭ ‬and U.S.S.R.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Transactions … Read more

Oryctorhynchus

In Depth        Oryctorhynchus is a genus of rhynchosaur that lived in North America during the late Triassic.‭ ‬Oryctorhynchus would have fed upon low growing plants. Further reading -‭ ‬A new rhynchosaur‭ (‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Archosauromorpha‭) ‬from the Upper Triassic of eastern North America.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Hans-Dieter Sues,‭ ‬Adam J.‭ ‬Fitch‭ & ‬Robin L.‭ … Read more

Deinogalerix

In Depth        Fossils of Deinogalerix are known from the Gargano region of Italy,‭ ‬but it’s important to remember that back in the‭ ‬Miocene Sea levels were much higher resulting in Gargano being an island that was cut off from the mainland.‭ ‬Deinogalerix grew to its large size due to a process called insular gigantism.‭ ‬This … Read more

Oohkotokia

In Depth        Oohkotokia was a medium to large ankylosaurid dinosaur that is so far only known from a single individual,‭ ‬though other fossils gathered in the past may actually represent specimens of this genus.‭ ‬Oohkotokia seems to have been similar to Euoplocephalus,‭ ‬though is considered distinct because the skull texture of Oohkotokia is quite smooth … Read more

Eoentelodon

In Depth        Eoentelodon was a relatively small and early genus of entelodont that acquired its name from its early appearance on the landscape before the much larger Entelodon.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬its validity as a valid genus has been disputed,‭ ‬most specifically in a‭ ‬2004‭ ‬study by Lucas and Emry which saw the genus being declared to … Read more

Coloradisaurus

In Depth        Originally named Coloradia,‭ ‬it was later discovered that the genus name had already been assigned to a type of moth,‭ ‬hence the revision and change to Coloradisaurus in‭ ‬1983.‭ ‬Identified as a massospondylid sauropodomorph,‭ ‬Coloradisaurus has been considered as a synonym to the genus Mussaurus.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬Mussaurus has been established only upon hatchlings,‭ … Read more

Keresdrakon

In Depth        Keresdrakon is a genus of pterosaur that lived in Brazil during the Cretaceous.‭ ‬The holotype individual of Keresdrakon was discovered in a bone bed with other pterosaur remains.‭ ‬These remains include the genus Caiuajara,‭ ‬proving that these two pterosaurs were active within the same ecosystem at the same time. Further Reading -‭ ‬A … Read more

Lamplughsaura

In Depth        Living in India during the early Jurassic,‭ ‬the dinosaur Lamplughsaura has been the source of some head scratching amongst palaeontologists.‭ ‬The two main options at the moment are that either Lamplughsaura represents a very advanced sauropodomorph,‭ ‬or a primitive sauropod dinosaur.‭ ‬What can be established however is that Lamplughsaura does represent a transitional … Read more