In Depth Sarcolestes is a genus of ankylosaur that lived in England during the mid-Jurassic. Unfortunately the only part of this dinosaur that is known is a lower jaw bone, so it is difficult to infer much more about this dinosaur. The lack of fossil remains has also cast doubt upon the validity of this … Read more
In Depth Though only named for a partial jaw, Labidiosuchus is still quite interesting as reconstructions of the lower jaw have indicated that it would have had a Y-shaped profile, hence the name Labidiosuchus which translates as ‘forceps crocodile’. Further Reading - A new cretaceous notosuchian (Mesoeucrocodylia) with bizarre dentition from Brazil. - Zoological Journal … Read more
In Depth Eucoelophysis was initially named upon the basis of a proposed similarity to coelophysid dinosaurs like Coelophysis, hence the name Eucoelophysis which means ‘true hollow form’. However a later study by Nesbitt, Irmis and Parker revealed that Eucoelophysis is not a true dinosaur like Coelophysis, but rather a more primitive dinosauriform similar to Silesaurus. … Read more
In Depth The large number of well-preserved Shunosaurus individuals that have been recovered has revealed much about Shunosaurus making it perhaps the most complete sauropod genus known. This material has also allowed palaeontologist to confirm as well as speculate upon new theories for other sauropods that are not as well represented as Shunosaurus. However, despite … Read more
In Depth Saltopus has had a murky taxonomic history with some researchers crediting it with being an early theropod dinosaur, while others insist that it was an advanced archosaur similar to Marasuchus. Currently most palaeontologists agree that Saltopus is most probably a dinosauriform, more advanced than an archosaur, but not quite a dinosaur. One argument … Read more
In Depth Dicraeosaurus was relatively small by sauropod standards, but was still a bit larger than Amargasaurus, so far the only other known member of its group. Dicraeosaurus sported a double row of spines down its back that are similar to those seen on the back of Amargasaurus. We cannot be certain what these spike … Read more
In Depth Plesiohadros is a genus of hadrosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new hadrosaurid (Plesiohadros djadokhtaensis) from the Late Cretaceous Djadokhtan Fauna of southern Mongolia. - Hadrosaurs 108-135. - K. Tsogtbaatar, D. B. Weishampel, D. C. Evans & M. Watabe - 2014.
In Depth Palmulasaurus was initially named as Palmula when first described in 2007, but it was soon realised that Palmula was actually preoccupied by a genus of foraminifer (an amoeboid protist), hence the later addition of the Ancient Greek ‘saurus’ which means ‘lizard’. In 2007 Albright, Gillette and Titus also named of polycotylid plesiosaur from … Read more
In Depth Although a turtle, Archelon has become a staple species that appears in almost every book about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. This almost mandatory inclusion comes from the fact that Archelon is the largest turtle ever known to exist and it lived at the end of the Cretaceous. For the most part dinosaurs … Read more
In Depth Originally thought to be a juvenile of a species of Megalosaurus, Nuthetes was later established as a distinct genus. Today Nuthetes is thought to represent a possible dromaeosaurid dinosaur, but the key word here is ‘possible’. So far Nuthetes is only known from teeth and a fragment of jawbone, making such things as … Read more