In Depth        Although small by nothosaur standards,†‬Lariosauru remains one of the most important nothosaurs known to palaeontology as remains are so well preserved they contain the presence of juvenile Lariosaurus,†‬as well as what they ate.†‬The juvenile specimens inside an adult Lariosaurus are very well preserved suggesting that they were not chewed or … Read more
In Depth        In a nutshell Kotasaurus is one of the most primitive sauropod dinosaurs discovered.†‬So primitive is Kotasaurus that the genus still possesses features that are known in sauropodomorph dinosaurs.†‬This led to a lot of initial confusion over whether Kotasaurus was an advanced sauropodomorph,†‬or a primitive sauropod,†‬though today the interpretation of … Read more
In Depth        Oromycter is a genus of caseid pelycosaur that lived in Oklahoma during the Permian.†‬As a caseid,†‬Oromycter would have been related to genera such as Casea and Cotylorhynchus. Further Reading -†‬Oromycter,†‬a New Caseid from the Lower Permian of Oklahoma.†‬-†‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology†‬25â€(‬4â€)‬:905-910.†‬-†‬R.†‬R.†‬Reisz†‬-†… Read more
In Depth        After Mymoorapelta in†‬1994,†‬Gargoyleosaurus was the second ankylosaur to be named from the Morrison Formation.†‬Specifically Gargoyleosaurus is a polacanthine dinosaur and had an arrangement of bony armour and spikes across its back and sides.†‬Gargoyleosaurus also had a large bony plate that covered its hips from above.†‬This armour was an … Read more
In Depth        Mauriciosaurus is a genus of polycotylid plesiosaur known to have lived in waters of what would have been the southern portion of the Western Interior Seaway,†‬the shallow sea that once submerged the middle portion of North America.†‬The holotype†‬specimen of Mauriciosaurus was found in Mexico,†‬and has proven to be a … Read more
In Depth        The only known example of the pterosaur Feilongus is incomplete and has been damaged in the fossilisation process.†‬Only the skull,†‬mandible and parts of the braincase are preserved.†‬What can be gleamed from the fossil is that Feilongus had a large overbite with the upper jaw extended up to†‬2.7†‬centimetres beyond … Read more
In Depth        When first described in†‬1979,†‬Mussaurus was only known from juvenile individuals,†‬and until†‬2013†‬this was supposedly the case.†‬However in†‬1980†‬the adult were actually described,†‬they had just been classed under the genus Plateosaurus.†‬With a re-evaluation of these in†‬2013,†‬Mussaurus is also known from adult remains,†‬and the … Read more
In Depth        One of the monkey lemurs from Madagascar,†‬Hadropithecus is often described as being similar to its relative Archaeolemur in behaviour and lifestyle.†‬Hadropithecus was a powerfully built lemur that seems to have been best adapted to a cursorial life on the ground.†‬Lemurs as we know them today usually have long arms and … Read more
In Depth        Although only fragmentary remains are known Ilokelesia has been identified as a basal abelisaurid. Like many South American dinosaurs, Ilokelesia had been named using the Mapuche language from a combination of the works ‘ilo’ (flesh) and ‘kelesio’ (lizard). Further Reading – A basal Abelisauria Novas, 1992 (Theropoda–Ceratosauria) from the Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina. … Read more
In Depth        Wightia is a genus of tapejarid pterosaur that lived in Europe during the early Cretaceous.†‬Wightia is†‬named after the Isle of Wight which is situated on the southern coast of England. Further Reading -†‬First tapejarid pterosaur from the Wessex Formation†(‬Wealden Group:†‬Lower Cretaceous,†‬Barremianâ€) ‬of the United Kingdom.†‬-†‬Cretaceous … Read more