In Depth Ohmdenosaurus is a little known genus of sauropod, and perhaps not surprisingly known by very little remains. These remains have in the past been attributed to the Vulcanodontidae group of sauropods, though this group has also been problematic in its classification in the past, in fact for a time the group fell into … Read more
In Depth Macromerion is a genus of sphenacodont pelycosaur that lived in Europe during the Carboniferous. Further Reading - Lower Permian pelycosaurs from the English midlands. - Paleontology 17 (3): 541-552. - R. L. Paton - 1974.
In Depth Sycosaurus is a genus of gorgonopsid that lived in southern Africa during the late Permian period. As a gorgonopsid, Sycosaurus would have been a predator of other large vertebrates. Further Reading - On some Gorgonopsian skulls in the collection of the South African Museum. - Annals of the South African Museum, v. 12, … Read more
In Depth Originally named as a species of Cathayornis, Houornis is a genus of enantiornithine bird that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - Taxonomical reappraisal of Cathayornithidae (Aves: Enantiornithes). - Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. - M. Wang & D. Liu - 2015.
In Depth Dubbed ‘scarface’ in the popular media when first described, Ichibengops is a possibly second genus of venomous therocephalian therapsid that lived in Africa during the Late Permian. This is because Ichibengops has similar grooved teeth with potential placement of venom glands as another genus of therocephalian therapsid called Euchambersia, also speculated to have … Read more
In Depth Muzquizopteryx is placed in the same pterosaur family as Nyctosaurus although it lacks the formers highly elaborate head crest. With a two meter wingspan, Muzquizopteryx is small for a nyctosaurid. Further Reading – A brick in a wall: the first nyctosaurid pterosaur from the Conacian of NE Mexico and its impact on the … Read more
In Depth With an estimated length of up to twelve meters long, Mourasuchus was one of the biggest crocodiles of all time. However despite this size Mourasuchus had a relatively weak jaw and skull construction combined with quite small teeth for its size. These two things do not portray an apex predator that wrestled large … Read more
In Depth Dating back around one-hundred and fifty-two million years ago, Stokesosaurus is one of the earliest representatives of the tyrannosaur lineage, being only slightly later than Guanlong. At up to four meters long, Stokesosaurus resembled the juvenile forms of later tyrannosarids, and was a fleet footed predator relying upon speed to catch prey. Stokesosaurus … Read more
In Depth Menadon is a genus of cynodont that lived in both Madagascar and Brazil, during the Triassic. Given that these two locations would have still been attached to Africa during the Triassic, it is likely that Menadon was also present in parts of Africa, though at the time of writing no fossils have been … Read more
In Depth Brazilosaurus is a relative of the better known Mesosaurus, and like Mesosaurus, Brazilosaurus was a semi-aquatic reptile that hunted for fish and other small aquatic animals in the water. Further Reading - On a Reptilian Skeleton from the Palaeozoic Formation of San Paulo, Brazil. - Transactions and Proceedings of the Palaeontological Society of … Read more