In Depth The fact that Albertaceratops has large and well developed brow horns on what is in essence a centrosaurine skull has led to the thinking that Albertaceratops is a basal centrosaurine ceratopsian. Later members of the group would develop considerably reduced brow horns. Albertaceratops had no nasal horn but instead had a bony growth … Read more
In Depth Ashleychelys is a genus of sea turtle that lived during the Miocene. Further Reading - Oligocene Pancheloniid Sea Turtles from the Vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 34(1):80-99. - R. E. Weems & A. E. Sanders - 2014.
In Depth Pelecanimimus is a special dinosaur as it is considered to be one of if not the earliest known ornithomimosaur. Pelecanimimus also stands out from later forms because of the large number of teeth that are still present within its mouth, around two hundred and twenty in total. These teeth are thought to have … Read more
In Depth Because of the way the teeth were arranged, Liaoxipterus was initially thought to have been a filter feeder of the ctenochasmatid group of pterosaurs, however Liaoxipterus had a lower number of teeth than others members of this group. Later studies in 2006 and 2008 respectively have now placed Liaoxipterus into the istiodactylid pterosaur … Read more
In Depth Since it dates from the early Permian, Acleistorhinus is the earliest anapsid known. The teeth are numerous, small and pointed, suggesting that it hunted for insects. Viewed from above, the skull is triangular from the eyes leading to the front tip. The back of the skull is wide resulting in the orbits being … Read more
In Depth With the currently clear exception of Pinacosaurus, Talarurus is one of the best represented ankylosaurs from Asia. Talarurus was given its name because the tendons wove around the caudal (tail) vertebrae like a wicker basket. In life these would have strengthened and stiffened the tail so that the club on the end could … Read more
In Depth Cteniogenys is a genus of reptile that is commonly found associated with former deposits of freshwater. This has led to the possible scenario of Cteniogenys being semi-aquatic and perhaps even hunting for fish. It may be however that the remains of these individuals may have simply been taking a drink near the time … Read more
In Depth First named as a species of Hadrosaurus by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1872, Marsh later renamed this species as a distinct genus, Claosaurus in 1890. A second species, C. affinis, is now considered to be highly dubious, not only upon the grounds that it was based upon very fragmentary toe bones, but that … Read more
In Depth Arcovenator is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now France during the late cretaceous. Although only known from partial remains, similarities to relative genera such as Majungasaurus from Madagascar, as well as Indosaurus and Rajasaurus from India have been made. Comparison to these others has led to speculation … Read more
In Depth Originally thought to be another specimen of Velociraptor, a CAT scan in 1998 revealed that the fossil was of a new though closely related genus. Additional study of Tsaagan has indicated that it is most closely related to Linheraptor. Tsaagan probably lived and hunted like most other small Asian dromaeosaurids, hunting either other … Read more