In Depth Istiorachis was a large iguanodontian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, England. The name means “sail spine,” a reference to its hyperelongated vertebral spines, while the species name honours British sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur. Fossil Remains and Description The fossils of Istiorachis include partial vertebrae from the … Read more
Fossil Map Interactive fossil Map of Protathlitis, along with its chronological bar chart of fossil discoveries. In Depth Protathlitis is a genus of baryonychine spinosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Spain. The fossils were discovered in the Arcillas de Morella Formation, dating to the Barremian stage about 129–125 million years ago. The genus was … Read more
In Depth Dzharaonyx is a genus of alvarezsaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - New material and diagnosis of a new taxon of alvarezsaurid (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Bissekty Formation of Uzbekistan. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 41 (5): e2036174. - Alexander O.Averianov & Hans-Dieter Sues - … Read more
In Depth Pengornis is a genus of enantiornithine bird that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - Insight into diversity, body size and morphological evolution from the largest Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird. - Journal of Anatomy 212(5):565-577. - Z. Zhou, J. Clarke & F. Zhang - 2008. – A subadult specimen of … Read more
In Depth Yuxisaurus is a genus of armoured dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Jurassic. Quadrupedal and a browser of low growing vegetation, Yuxisaurusis considered to be a basal member of the thyreophoran dinosaurs. Further reading - A new early-branching armoured thyreophoran dinosaur from the Lower Jurassic of southwestern China. - bioRxiv: 1–43. - … Read more
In Depth Jakapil is an interesting little dinosaur as it may represent not only a basal thyreophoran dinosaur, but possibly also for the time of its description, an unknown kind. Unfortunately the remains of the holotype individual are largely incomplete, but they do at least give us a tantalising glimpse at the jaw structure, general … Read more
In Depth Yuornis is a genus of enantiornithine bird that lived in China during the late Cretaceous. The skull of Yuornis is noted for being completely toothless. Further reading - A new, remarkably preserved, enantiornithine bird from the Upper Cretaceous Qiupa Formation of Henan (central China) and convergent evolution between enantiornithines and modern birds. - … Read more
In Depth Ornatops is a genus of brachylophosaurine saurolophine hadrosaurid dinosaur that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous. Though the holotype skull is in bits, it has been reconstructed to form features that are roughly similar to Brachylophosaurus. Ornatops however also seems to have a bony protrusion rising up above the eyes. Like … Read more
In Depth Kuru is a genus of velociraptorine dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. Further reading - A New Dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Coelurosauria) from Khulsan, Central Mongolia. American Museum Novitates. 2021 (3982): 1–47. - James G. Napoli, Alexander A. Ruebenstahl, Bhart-anjan S. Bhullar, Alan H. Turner, & Mark A. Norell1 - 2021.
In Depth Ceratosuchops is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in the British Isles during the early Cretaceous. Ceratosuchops was named alongside another spinosaurid dinosaur from Britain called Riparovenator. Further reading - New spinosaurids from the Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, UK) and the European origins of Spinosauridae. - Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 19340 - … Read more