Chordata - Prehistoric-Wildlife

Keilhauia

In Depth Keilhauia is a genus of opthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived during the early‭ ‬Cretaceous.‭ ‬Though only known from partial remains,‭ ‬Keilhauia shares many similarities to the genera Cryopterygius and Caypullisaurus. Further Reading -‭ ‬A new ophthalmosaurid‭ (‬Ichthyosauria‭) ‬from Svalbard,‭ ‬Norway,‭ ‬and evolution of the ichthyopterygian pelvic girdle.‭ ‬-‭ ‬PLoS ONE‭ ‬12‭(‬1‭)‬:e0169971.‭ ‬-‭ ‬L.‭ ‬L.‭ … Read more

Adratiklit

In Depth Though known only from very few fossils,‭ ‬Adratiklit is the first known example of dacentrurine stegosaur from North Africa.‭ ‬At the time of naming however,‭ ‬we do not know other details such as the type and extent of plates and spikes that would have run down its back as the genus was named … Read more

Ictidostoma

In Depth Ictidostoma is a genus of therapsid that is known to‭ ‬have lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading -‭ ‬Description of a New Specimen of Ictidostoma hemburyi‭ (‬Therapsida‭; ‬Therocephalia‭) ‬and the Phylogenetic Relations of Therocephalians to the Mammalian Lineage.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Dallas Frentzel,‭ ‬Christian F.‭ ‬Kammerer‭ & ‬John J.‭ ‬Flynn.

Sefapanosaurus

In Depth Sefapanosaurus is a genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived in South Africa during the late Triassic. Further Reading -‭ ‬A new basal sauropodiform from South Africa and the phylogenetic relationships of basal sauropodomorphs.‭ ‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society‭ ‬174:589-634.‭ ‬-‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Otero,‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Krupandan,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Pol,‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Chinsamy‭ & ‬J.‭ ‬Choiniere‭ ‬-‭ … Read more

Axelrodichthys

In Depth Axelrodichthys is a genus of coelacanth that lived during the‭ ‬Cretaceous.‭ ‬As a member of the‭ ‬Mawsoniidae,‭ ‬Axelrodichthys would have had a body form similar to Chinlea and Mawsonia. Further Reading -‭ ‬Coelacanths from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil.‭ ‬American Museum Novitates‭ ‬2866:1-30.‭ ‬-‭ ‬J.‭ ‬G.‭ ‬Maisley‭ ‬-‭ ‬1986. -‭ ‬A new mawsoniid … Read more

Agujaceratops

In Depth Agujaceratops originally started out as being assigned as a species to the genus Chasmosaurus,‭ ‬another and more common Campanian era ceratospian dinosaur.‭ ‬However closer analysis by Lucas,‭ ‬Sullivan and Hunt in‭ ‬2006‭ ‬of a partial skull revealed key differences between it and other Chasmosaurus fossils.‭ ‬This led to the material being removed from … Read more

Tritylodon

In Depth As far as cynodonts go Tritylodon was fairly unremarkable and very similar to the generic form of other cynodonts.‭ ‬Tritylodon had a round body and short limbs,‭ ‬adaptations for a burrowing lifestyle.‭ ‬Furthermore Tritylodon is noted for having enlarged incisor teeth which still would have been partly visible when the mouth was closed,‭ … Read more

Lonchidion

In Depth Lonchidion is a genus of very successful hybodontid shark that lived for most of the Mesozoic.‭ ‬Most fossils attributed to Lonchidion are Cretaceous in age,‭ ‬though Jurassic and even Late Triassic fossils are also known.‭ ‬Also,‭ ‬while Lonchidion has been mostly associated with North America and Europe,‭ ‬fossils from Africa and Asia are … Read more

Adelospondylus

In Depth Another small amphibian from the Carboniferous period of Scotland,‭ ‬Adelospondylus is only known by a skull and jaws.‭ ‬The lower jaw is noted as being quite deep,‭ ‬but is otherwise not greatly special.‭ ‬Adelospondylus may have been similar to Adelogyrinus. Further Reading -‭ ‬An Adelogyrinid Lepospondyl Amphibian from the Upper Carboniferous,‭ ‬R.‭ ‬L.‭ … Read more

Arganarhinus

In Depth Arganarhinus is a phytosaur that lived in what is now Morocco during the late Triassic.‭ ‬Arganarhinus was originally named as a species of Paleorhinus before being made a distinct species in‭ ‬1995. Further Reading -‭ ‬Late Triassic‭ (‬Carnian and Norian‭) ‬tetrapods from the southwestern United States.‭ ‬-‭ ‬New Mexico Museum of Natural History … Read more