In Depth Gueragama is a genus of iguanian lizard that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - A stem acrodontan lizard in the Cretaceous of Brazil revises early lizard evolution in Gondwana. - Nature Communications 6:8149:1-8. - T. R. Sim�es, E. Wilner, M. W. Caldwell, L. C. Weinsch�tz & A. W. … Read more
Clevosaurus: Research Database Rhynchocephalia (Reptilia) · Late Triassic-Early Jurassic (~205-190 MYA) · Global (Marine and Terrestrial) Research Note: Clevosaurus was a rhynchocephalian from the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic — one of the earliest known rhynchocephalians and an important taxon for understanding the early evolution of rhynchocephalians and lepidosaurs. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method … Read more
In Depth With a tough hide and powerful jaws, the rauisuchian genus Postosuchus was one of the apex predators of its time. First discovered in the US state of Texas, Postsuchus had a wide distribution that stretched all the way to the Eastern seaboard. The head was deep with many fenestrae, adaptations that point towards … Read more
Tanystropheus: Research Database Tanystropheidae (Archosauromorpha) · Middle–Late Triassic (~240–210 MYA) · Europe — Switzerland, Italy, Germany Research Note: Tanystropheus is one of the most bizarre reptiles ever discovered — a 6-metre animal with an extremely elongated neck that made up fully one-third of its total body length. Living during the Middle to Late Triassic, … Read more
In Depth Collilongus is a genus of archosauriform that lived in Poland during the Triassic. Little is known about Collilongus because so far the genus is only known from teeth. Further Reading - Archosauriform postcranial remains from the Early Triassic karst deposits of southern Poland. Palaeontologia Polonica 65:283-328. - M. Borsuk−Białynicka & A. G. Sennikov … Read more
Stomatosuchus: Research Database Crocodyliformes (Reptilia) · Late Cretaceous (~95-93 MYA) · Africa — Egypt (Bahariya Formation) Research Note: Stomatosuchus was a large crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous of Egypt — a stomatosuchid with a distinctive扁嘴 and an important taxon for understanding crocodyliform evolution in the Cretaceous of Africa. Research Finding Status Grade Year … Read more
Temnodontosaurus: Research Database Ichthyosauria (Reptilia) · Early Jurassic (~195–190 MYA) · Europe — Germany (Posidonia Shale, Holzmaden) Research Note: Temnodontosaurus was a large-bodied ichthyosaur from the Early Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Germany. As one of the largest known ichthyosaurs and a top marine predator, it provides critical data on ichthyosaur ecology, body size evolution, … Read more
In Depth Lazarussuchus was named after the figure of Lazarus of Bethany in the Bible, a person in the Gospel of John who was resurrected four days after his death by Jesus Christ. The relevance here is that the holotype remains of Lazarussuchus were found from a late Oligocene deposit, a period many millions of … Read more
Garjainia: Research Database Erythrosuchidae (Archosauriformes) · Early Triassic (~250-248 MYA) · Europe — Russia (Moscow region) Research Note: Garjainia was an erythrosuchid archosauriform from the Early Triassic of Russia — one of the largest known Early Triassic predators and an important taxon for understanding archosauriform evolution after the Permian-Triassic extinction. Research Finding Status … Read more
In Depth Yonghesuchus is a genus of small arhcosaur that lived in China during the Triassic. Although a total body length is unknown at the time of writing, the small skull size alone indicates that Yonghesuchus would have been a small animal, and a predator of animals even smaller than itself. Further Reading - The … Read more