Austrosaurus: Research Database Titanosauria (Sauropoda) · Early Cretaceous (~105–100 MYA) · Australia — Queensland (Allaru Mudstone) Research Note: Austrosaurus mckayi was a titanosaurian sauropod from the Early Cretaceous of Queensland, Australia. It represents one of the earliest known Australian sauropods and provides important data on titanosaur dispersal to Gondwana. Its name means “southern lizard”. … Read more
In Depth It is hard to currently establish a size estimate for Arcusaurus because at the time of writing the genus is only represented by the partial remains of two juveniles. Not only does this make it impossible to run a tape measure along a known complete specimen, but as juvenile they would have grown … Read more
Zalmoxes: Research Database Rhabdodontidae (Ornithopoda) · Late Cretaceous (~70-68 MYA) · Europe — Romania (Hațeg Basin, Sânpetru Formation) Research Note: Zalmoxes was a rhabdodontid ornithopod from the Late Cretaceous of Romania — one of the last known ornithopods before the end-Cretaceous extinction and an important taxon for understanding dinosaur evolution on the European archipelago. … Read more
In Depth Aviatyrannis was for lack of a better word tiny, although this small size is actually a hallmark of tyrannosaur ancestry. Although incomplete, the fossil remains of Aviatyrannis are very similar to another ancient tyrannosaur, Stokesosaurus, from North America. This has resulted in speculation that Aviatyrannis is actually a junior synonym of Stokesosaurus, and … Read more
Bajadasaurus: Research Database Titanosauria (Sauropoda) · Early Cretaceous (~140–134 MYA) · South America — Argentina (Bajada Colorada Formation) Research Note: Bajadasaurus pronuspinax was a titanosaurian sauropod from the Early Cretaceous Bajada Colorada Formation of Argentina. It is notable for its unusual elongated neural spines, which may have supported a sail or display structure. … Read more
In Depth Aepyornithomimus is a genus of ornithomimosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. Analysis of the foot of Aepyornithomimus shows an intermediate development between primitive and advanced ornithomimosaurs. Further Reading - First Ornithomimid (Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation of T�gr�giin Shiree, Mongolia. - Scientific Reports. 7: Article number … Read more
Velocisaurus: Research Database Abelisauroidea (Theropoda) · Late Cretaceous (~83–80 MYA) · South America — Argentina (Cerro del Pueblo Formation) Research Note: Velocisaurus was a small abelisauroid theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina, famous for its unusually elongated lower leg bone (tibia) — a feature associated with running ability in modern birds and mammals. … Read more
In Depth Liaoningotitan is a genus of titanisauriform sauropod dinosaur that lived in Asia during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new Titanosauriformes dinosaur from Jehol Biota of western Liaoning, China. - Global Geology. 37 (2): 327–333. - C.-F. Zhou, W.–H. Wu, T. Sekiya & Z.-M. Dong - 2018.
Saturnalia: Research Database Sauropodomorpha (Dinosauria) · Late Triassic (~235–225 MYA) · South America — Brazil (Santa Maria Formation) Research Note: Saturnalia was one of the earliest known dinosaurs from the Late Triassic of Brazil. As a member of Sauropodomorpha, it provides critical data on the early evolutionary history and diversification of dinosaurs in the … Read more
In Depth Giraffatitan was originally named as an African species of Brachiosaurus. First named in 1914 by Werner Janensch as Brachiosaurus brancai, subsequent study of the fossil material would reveal several morphological differences between B. brancai and the Brachiosaurus type species B. altithorax. This has led to the modern name of Giraffatitan, a play on … Read more