In Depth Leonerasaurus is a genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur that is known to have lived in South America during the early Jurassic. Leonerasaurus is notable for having a mix of physical characteristics that are seen in both sauropodomorph dinosaurs as well as later sauropods, though current thinking is that Leonerasaurus was a sauropodomorph, but one … Read more
In Depth Like with many dinosaurs named from English fossils in the nineteenth century, Lexovisaurus has a complex taxonomic history, but it can be broken down like this. Current fossils of Lexovisaurus were originally described in 1887as Omosaurus a genus that had different species. However it was later realised that the name Omosaurus was preoccupied, … Read more
In Depth Diandongosuchus is classed as a poposaurid rauisuchian, though while most of the members of this group such as Poposaurus, Arizonasaurus and Lotosaurus are terrestrial, Diandongosuchus seems to have been semiaquatic and living in a similar manner to a crocodile. At the time of writing the only other poposaurid thought to be similar to … Read more
In Depth Along with Wonambi, Yurlunggur is another representative of the madtsoiid group of prehistoric snakes. Yurlunggur was a constrictor which means it coiled around its prey and squeezing it to death. One thing that makes Yurlunggur stand out from other snakes related to it is the fact it has perhaps one of the most … Read more
In Depth Huaxiapterus is a genus of pterosaur,that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - New tapejarid pterosaur from western Liaoning, China. - Acta Geologica Sinica 79(4):453-458. - J. L� & C. Yuan - 2005. - A new species of Huaxiapterus (Pterosauria: Pterodactyloidea) from the Lower Cretaceous of western Liaoning, China with … Read more
In Depth Described in 1997, Caypullisaurus is classed as a member of the Platypterygiinae ichthyosaurs, with related genera including Aegirosaurus, Athabascasaurus, Platypterygius and Sveltonectes amongst others. Further Reading – A new Ichthyosaur from the Tithonian (Late Jurassic) of the Neuquen Basin, Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. – Journal of Paleontology 71(3):479-484. – M. S. Fern�ndez – 1997. … Read more
In Depth Parahenodus is a genus of placodont that lived in European waters during the late Triassic. The placodonts were marine reptiles that hunted for shellfish. The holotype skull of Parahenodus is very similar to the Henodus genus, hence the name Parahenodus which means ‘near Henodus’. Like Henodus, Parahenodus would be expected to have had … Read more
In Depth Euhelopus was originally named Helopus until it was discovered that the name had already been used for a bird. The name was altered to Euhelopus by Alfred Romer in 1956. Euhelopus was similar to the macronarian sauropods in that the fore legs were proportionately longer than the rear legs, something that would have … Read more
In Depth Cardiocorax is a genus of elasmosaurid plesiosaur that lived during the latest stage of the Cretaceous. The fenestra (opening) between the coracoid bones is heart-shaped, and is the inspiration for the name which means ‘heart coracoid’. Further Reading - A new elasmosaurid from the early Maastrichtian of Angola and the implications of girdle … Read more
In Depth Nyasasaurus made headlines all around the world when it was discovered, because this genus might just represent the oldest dinosaur so far discovered. Nyasasaurus has the right number of sacral vertebrae expected, and the humerus does display rapid growth patterns just like those known from other dinosaur genera. Unfortunately, the overall incompleteness of … Read more