In Depth The type genus of the Pachypleurosauria, Pachypleurosaurus would have been a relative of the more famous nothosaurs, yet still be distinct enough to not be classed as a nothosaurine. It should be remembered however that both nothosaurines and pachypleurosaurines are still both classified as nothosauroids due to their physical similarities. The name Pachypleurosaurus … Read more
In Depth Yurgovuchia was a small dromaeosaurine theropod that is often described as being ‘coyote sized’. Although Yurgovuchia is only known from very incomplete remains, mapping the known bones to the proportions of related but better preserved dromaeosaurs has yielded a rough estimate of around two and a half meters, though much of this figure … Read more
In Depth Pontosaurus was a semi aquatic lizard with an extremely elongated body that features a laterally compressed tail around twice the length of the body. Pontosaurus is so snake-like that it is considered to represent the form of reptiles that were ancestral to snakes, though was probably not the ancestor due to its late … Read more
In Depth The first poposaurid rauiscuhian to be discovered outside of North America, Sillosuchus was named after Dr. William Sill in recognition of his support for palaeontology within the Province of San Huan. Sillosuchus is a relative of the genus Shuvosaurus, and both of these are members of the Poposauroidea, a group named after the … Read more
In Depth A possible relative of Protorosaurus, Czatkowiella was a quadrupedal archosauromorph reptile with a proportionately long neck for its body. The genus name Czatkowiella is named after the Czatkowice assemblage, while the type species, C. harae, is in honour of Ewa Hara who prepared the fossil for study. Further Reading – A long−necked archosauromorph … Read more
In Depth Related to the mosasaurs, the exact classification of Dolichosaurus is a little uncertain with its exact closeness to the Mosasauridae a little uncertain. Dolichosaurus is noted for having a long thin build and is speculated to have been a weak swimmer. This in turn has led to past speculation that it may have … Read more
In Depth Leiokarinosuchus is a genus of crocodile that lived in England during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - Crocodilians. - English Wealden fossils 305-369. - S. W. Salisbury & D. Naish - 2011.
In Depth Navajoceratops is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous. At the time of the description Navajoceratops is known only from a partial skull bones that a reveal a little of the shape of the neck frill. These suggest that Navajoceratops was a chasmosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur. Further … Read more
In Depth Although pieced together and described from very incomplete skull material, Dracovenator has been identified as being similar to Dilophosaurus. With this in mind the 2006 description of Dracovenator saw it classified as a dilphosaurid and related to Dilophosaurus from North America, and Zupaysaurus from South America, though not all palaeontologists are convinced about … Read more
In Depth At first glance you might be forgiven for thinking that Miragaia is some kind of hybrid between a stegosaur and a sauropod. Well in actuality Miragaia is a stegosaur, although the long neck and long forelimbs make it quite different from classic examples such as Stegosaurus and Kentrosaurus. The most likely cause for … Read more