In Depth Nohochichak is a type of ground sloth known to have lived in Mexico during the late Pleistocene. Further Reading - A new genus of megalonychid ground sloth (Mammalia, Xenarthra) from the late Pleistocene of Quintana Roo, Mexico. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 37 (3): e1307206. - Gregory H. McDonald, James C. Chatters & … Read more
In Depth Although so far only known from teeth, Crusafontia is thought to have been a squirrel-like mammal. This idea however is based upon comparison to other similar mammals with similar teeth known from this time. Further Reading – Zwei Saugetier-Unterkiefer aus der Unteren Kreide von Una (Prov. Cuenca, Spanien). 1969:449-462. – S. Henkel and … Read more
In Depth The full type species name for this dinosaur is Lepidus praecisio which means ‘fascinating fragment’. This is because while not many fossils of this dinosaur are known, we can observe that the astragalus (talos) and calcaneum are fused into one, which is a trait of neotheropod dinosaurs. At the same time however, the … Read more
In Depth Doryaspis was a jawless fish that swam in the oceans of the early Devonian, and one that had an unusual body shape. Like others, it had a rounded box-like body with a long flexible tail, but it also had a long, thin pointed snout projecting from the front, as well as two more … Read more
In Depth Before this genus was named, Koreanosaurus was the informal name given to a theropod dinosaur, though because no formal description for these theropod fossils was published, the name Koreanosaurus was still available. Henceforth, Koreanosaurus is now a valid genus of ornithopod dinosaur. Koreanosaurus is a possible relative of the genera Orodromeus, Oryctodromeus and … Read more
In Depth Juravenator was a small predatory dinosaur active in the late Jurassic of Europe. It appears to have been a fleet footed hunter that specialised in either invertebrates or small vertebrates like lizards. The scleral rings of Juravenator show similarities with nocturnal birds strongly suggesting that Juravenator was most active at night. The holotype … Read more
In Depth Fossils of the dinosaur Issi were originally referred to the genus Plateosaurus. However, greater understanding of Plateosaurus, sauropodomorphs dinosaurs as well as new studies of the fossils from Greenland led to the conclusion that the Greenland fossils were of a distinct genus. Issi was established as the new published name of the genus … Read more
In Depth Penghusuchus is a genus of tomistomine crocodile that lived in what is now Taiwan during the late Miocene. Penghusuchus is noted as having a similarity to the modern day false gharial as well as Toyotamaphimeia which lived in Japan during the Pleistocene. With a skull length up to 85 centimetres long, Penghusuchus would … Read more
In Depth Though only known from partial hip and limb bones, Hungarobatrachus has still been identified as a possible ranoid frog that lived in Europe during the Late Cretaceous. Further Reading - An advanced anuran from the Late Cretaceous (Santonian) of Hungary. - Neues Jahrbuch f�r Geologie und Pal�ontologie - Abhandlungen 256(3):291-302. - Z. Szentesi … Read more
In Depth Research into Platecarpus has arguably advanced our understanding of the mosasaurs more than any other genera, part of this being down to the number of known Platecarpus fossils. Some of these specimens of Platecarpus are so well preserved that they actually reveal impression of soft tissues of body parts like the internal organs. … Read more