In Depth With three pairs of short blunt horns on top its skull and two tusks that pointed down from the upper jaw, Eobasileus looked remarkably similar to its close relative Uintatherium (which is why unsurprisingly it is a member of the Uintatheriidae). With an upper size comparable to that of a large black rhinoceros … Read more
In Depth Tonganosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in China during the early Jurassic. Tonganosaurus is seen as being similar to Omeisaurus, and both are classified as mamenchisaurid sauropod dinosaurs (similar to Mamenchisaurus). Further Reading – [A new sauropod from the Lower Jurassic of Huili, Sichuan, China]. -Vertebrata PalAsiatica 48(3):185-202 - K. … Read more
In Depth For most of its history Hyracotherium has been associated with the genus Eohippus (dawn horse) that was based upon fossils described by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1876. This is mostly due to the commonplace presentation of the name Eohippus towards the public and subsequent mention in fiction, the pinnacle of which was the … Read more
In Depth Amanzia is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in Europe during the late Jurassic. Amanzia is the first sauropod dinosaur known from Switzerland. Further Reading - Re-description of the sauropod dinosaur Amanzia (“Ornithopsis/Cetiosauriscus”) greppini n. gen. and other vertebrate remains from the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) Reuchenette Formation of Moutier, Switzerland. - Swiss … Read more
In Depth The material that would be named as Montanoceratops was originally assigned to Leptoceratops as a second species in 1935 as Leptoceratops cerorhynchos. However the original remains were incomplete and when further and more complete material was discovered by C. M. Sternbergi this second species of Leptoceratops was realised to be a different albeit … Read more
In Depth Edworthia is a very primitive genus of primate that lived in Canada during the Palaeocene, the geological time period that occurred just after the dinosaurs went extinct. Further Reading - Edworthia lerbekmoi, a new primitive paromomyid primate from the Torrejonian (early Paleocene) of Alberta, Canada. - Journal of Paleontology 84(5):868-878. - R. C. … Read more
In Depth Actinolepis is a genus of placoderm fish that lived during the Devonian period. Fossils of Actinolepis have usually been more associated with Eastern Europe, but at least one species of Actinolepis is known from fossil deposits in New Zealand. It is worth remembering that back in the Devonian the planets land masses were … Read more
In Depth Palaeoplethodon is a genus of salamander that lived in the Dominican Republic during the Miocene. Further Reading - Palaeoplethodon hispaniolae gen. n., sp. n. (Amphibia: Caudata), a fossil salamander from the Caribbean. - Palaeodiversity 8: 21–29. - G. Poinar Jr & D. B. Wake - 2015.
In Depth As a barbourofelid Ginsburgsmilus is more popularly known as a ‘false sabre-toothed cat’ since the Barbourofelidae are not thought to related to modern cats of today beyond the fact that they are all members of the Carnivora. As such Ginsburgsmilus is related to other members of the Barbourofelidae such as Sansanosmilus, Prosansanosmilus, Afrosmilus … Read more
In Depth Pantydraco was formerly known as Thecodontosaurus caducus, however re-examination of the many Thecodontosaurus species has resulted in many being regarded as synonyms or actually recognised as new animals, as is the case for Pantydraco. Named after the Pantyffynnon quarry where it was discovered, Pantydraco is thought to represent a basal sauropodomorph. For this … Read more