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
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
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
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,†‬Archosauromorphaâ€) ‬from the Upper Triassic of eastern North America.†‬-†‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.†‬-†‬Hans-Dieter Sues,†‬Adam J.†‬Fitch†& ‬Robin L.†… Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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