In Depth The western word for naming a genus dragon is ‘draco’, in China its ‘long’, but Azhdarcho is the Uzbek word for such a mythical beast. Azhdarcho is also the centre for the azdarchid line of pterosaurs. The azhdarchids are known for having long necks, the result of neck vertebrae that are longer in … Read more
In Depth Liaoceratops was a fairly small neoceratopsian dinosaur that is nonetheless a good example of the ancestors of the later and larger ceratopsian dinosaurs such as Triceratops and Styracosaurus that lived during the late Cretaceous. Liaoceratops had the beginnings of a neck frill, though nothing like the same scale as later descendants, and no … Read more
In Depth Chuxiongosaurus is a genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived in China during the very early Jurassic. For this reason Chuxiongosaurus is often remembered as the first basal sauropodomorph dinosaur to be discovered in an early Jurassic aged deposit in China. When compared to other sauropodomorph genera, Chuxiongosaurus is noted as being similar to … Read more
In Depth Astrophocaudia was a genus of sauropod named in 2012, and considered to be part of a group of sauropods called the Somphospondyli along with Sauroposeidon. Further Reading - Revision of the sauropod dinosaurs of the Lower Cretaceous Trinity Group, southern USA, with the description of a new genus, Michael D. D’Emic - 2012.
In Depth The problem with Bagaraatan is that it is only known from partial remains that in themselves could be placed within a variety of different theropod groups. Leading palaeontologists have described Bagaraatan as a tyrannosaur, troodontid and even a maniraptorian, all of the main carnivorous theropod classes that were active in Asia towards the … Read more
In Depth The genus name of Gallardosaurus is in honour of Juan Gallardo, the farmer who first discovered the remains in 1946. Despite the remains being discovered at this time, they were left unprepared for proper study, even in 1996 when Gallardosaurus was thought to possibly represent another specimen of Pliosaurus. When the remains were … Read more
In Depth Not much is known about Baalsaurus other than it is a genus of titanosaurian dinosaur that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous. Baalsaurus is named after the Baal fossil site, which is named after the ancient Phoenician god Baal. Further Reading - Baalsaurus mansillai gen. et sp. nov. a new titanosaurian … Read more
In Depth Gilmoremys is a species of turtle that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - Description of two new species of turtles, from the Lance Formation of Wyoming. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 50(2137):614-646. - C. W. Gilmore - 1916. - New material of Gilmoremys lancensis nov. comb. … Read more
In Depth There is some confusion regarding Geosaurus reconstructions as there were once both long and short snouted forms of the genus. One former species of Geosaurus in particular known as G. suevicus was an almost complete specimen which was commonly used as a base for the majority of early Geosaurus reconstructions. Later analysis in … Read more
In Depth With holotype fossils initially described as specimens of Rubeosaurus, Stellasaurus is a genus of centrosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous. Although little fossil material exists of Stellasaurus at the time of writing, the dinosaur has been reconstructing as having two large upwards pointing spikes rising from the … Read more