In Depth Once again the term ‘wastebasket taxon’ looms like a spectre over another dinosaur. Many of the fossils that were once attributed to Camptosaurus have since been found to represent other dinosaurs, and this is especially true for the European species that were once assigned to Camptosaurus. Despite this reduction in species and geographic … Read more
In Depth There is not a lot of information about Sarcosaurus due to the relatively incomplete remains from only the pelvic region of the body. This makes it impossible to ascertain the form and structure of other body parts such as the head, hands and feet, something that makes exact classification of this dinosaur near … Read more
In Depth The genus Similicaudipteryx was so named because of its similarity to the genus Caudipteryx (tail feather). Like with Caudipteryx, Similicaudipteryx had a covering of downy feathers all over the body, with vaned feathers on the arms and tail. The end of the tail had a pygostyle-like arrangement which supported a feather growth like … Read more
In Depth Albertavenator is a genus of troodontid dinosaur that lived in Canada towards the end of the Cretaceous period. The genus name translates as ‘Alberta hunter’, a reference to where and how it lived. The type species name, P. curriei is in honour of paleontologist Philip J. Currie. Further Reading - A new species … Read more
In Depth Anningasaura was named in honour of Mary Anning. Mary Anning lived in the early nineteenth century, and spent a lifetime collecting fossils on the shorelines of Dorset, many of which were sold in her families shop in Lyme Regis. Anning’s discoveries and contributions to science would eventually lead to worldwide recognition of her … Read more
In Depth The Introduction of Megalosaurus to Science Megalosaurus was the dinosaur that started a great many things including the science of palaeontology, the debate about if dinosaurs should be called names that end with ‘saurus’ because they are not ‘lizards’, to lifetimes of fascination about the creatures that once walked the Earth when we … Read more
In Depth Acristavus was a late surviving hadrosaurid that stood out from amongst the others of its kind because it had no head ornamentation. Although not strictly unique, many of the other better known hadrosaurids such as Parasaurolophus and Lambeosaurus had very elaborate and impressive head crests. The fact Acristavus did not have one suggests … Read more
In Depth The phylogentic classification of Tapejara has been quite turbulent with a total of three species once being attributed to the genus with the one surviving species is the first type specimen, Tapejara wellnhoferi. The two other species Tapejara imperator and Tapejara navigans have since been split to form the new genus Tupandactylus. Another … Read more
In Depth Maaradactylus is a genus of anhangeurid pterosaur that lived in Brazil during the early Cretaceous. Maaradactylus is known to have had thirty-five pairs of teeth in the upper jaw as well as a crest rising up from the front of the upper jaw. Being a member of the Anhangueridae, Maaradactylus would have been … Read more
In Depth When Ornithopsis was named by Harry Govier Seeley in 1870, Seeley noted the pneumaticised vertebrae and considered Ornithopsis to represent a link between pterosaurs and birds. Richard Owen however said that he was wrong, the vertebra actually represented a kind of large marine reptile, though one that probably had a well-developed respiratory system. … Read more