In Depth Chubutisaurus seems to have been a large but primitive titanosaur that lived in Chubut Province towards the end of the early Cretaceous, hence the name which means ‘Chubut lizard’. Although known from different members of the Cerro barcino Formation, possible predatory threats to Chubutisaurus might have included large theropod dinosaurs such as Genyodectes … Read more
In Depth When first described in 1833, Gnathosaurus was actually thought to have been the remains of small prehistoric crocodile. This persisted until the discovery of the skull in 1951, which revealed Gnathosaurus to actually be a filter feeding pterosaur similar to Ctenochasma. The teeth of Gnathosaurus were very fine and projected outwards from the … Read more
In Depth Although very small by ichthyosaur standards, Mixosaurus is one of the most important entries in the fossil record regarding the evolution of the ichthyosaur group of marine reptiles. This is because it is seen as a transitory form between what are termed the eel-like primitive forms like Cymbospondylus and dolphin-like advanced ichthyosaurs like … Read more
In Depth Once again one of the most famous dinosaurs of all time is actually represented by some of the most incomplete fossil material. To date Pachycephalosaurus is only represented by skull material; the actual appearance of the body so often seen in restorations is actually based upon the common form seen in more … Read more
In Depth Parrassaurus is a genus of ichthyosaur that lived in waters around Mexico during the late Jurassic. Further reading - A new Tithonian ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from Coahuila in northeastern Mexico. - Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology.. - Jair Israel Barrientos & Jes�s Alvarado-Ortega - 2021.
In Depth Not much is known about Mahajangasuchus, but the robust skull suggests a strong bite force even for a crocodile. The teeth of Mahajangasuchus were also conical and fairly blunt suggesting that they were used on larger prey like land animals rather than small prey like fish. Mahajangasuchus has been moved around quite a … Read more
In Depth Sinornithoides is a genus of small troodontid dinosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. The holotype individual of this genus, a subadult, was found in a nesting position with its head tucked under its left arm, very similar to how another small troodontid named Mei was found. This may indicate that … Read more
In Depth The superficial morphology of Milleretta is that of a modern lizard with an array of sharp teeth suited for work on insects. Milleretta is considered an anapsid on the basis that the skull has no openings behind the eye socket. Early study of the skull did reveal two depressions at the back of … Read more
In Depth Not many fossilised bones of this dinosaur are known, but those that are are simply huge. Comparing these bones to the more complete remains of other genera has resulted in very rough estimates of around thirty meters long, raising the probability that Ruyangosaurus was one of the largest animals to ever walk the … Read more
In Depth Janenschia is a genus of titanosaur that has a classification history closely tied to the African diplodocid sauropod Torneria and by extension the North American Barosaurus and the English Gigantosaurus. We start in England in 1869 when Harry Govier Seeley named Gigantosaurus based upon a few vertebrae, partial limb bones and an osteoderm. … Read more