In Depth Aviatyrannis was for lack of a better word tiny, although this small size is actually a hallmark of tyrannosaur ancestry. Although incomplete, the fossil remains of Aviatyrannis are very similar to another ancient tyrannosaur, Stokesosaurus, from North America. This has resulted in speculation that Aviatyrannis is actually a junior synonym of Stokesosaurus, and … Read more
In Depth The discovery of Attenborosaurus was unorthodox to say the least. When first discovered the remains were referred to the Plesiosaurus genus as a new species, P. conybeari. These remains were destroyed during a bombing raid in World War II, but a plaster cast of them was made before this happened which has meant … Read more
In Depth Described in 2016 on the basis of two skulls and jaws, Agaresuchus fontisensis was a crocodile that lived in Spain during the late Cretaceous. Additionally a second species originally named as a species of Allodaposuchus, A. subjuniperus was also re-described as belonging to the genus in 2016. Further Reading - The eusuchian crocodylomorph … Read more
In Depth A passing glance at the dinosaur Bajadasaurus would likely bring immediate comparisons to another very popular sauropod dinosaur known as Amargasaurus. Amargasaurus made headlines when it was named because of the large spines that rose out and back from the neck, at the time making it unique amongst sauropod dinosaurs. The discovery of … Read more
In Depth Aepyornithomimus is a genus of ornithomimosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. Analysis of the foot of Aepyornithomimus shows an intermediate development between primitive and advanced ornithomimosaurs. Further Reading - First Ornithomimid (Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation of T�gr�giin Shiree, Mongolia. - Scientific Reports. 7: Article number … Read more
In Depth Originally named as a species of Doswellia, Rugarhynchos is a genus of proterochampsian archosauromorph that lived in North America during the late Triassic. Rugarhynchos is noted for the shortness of its snout when compared to other doswelliids. Further reading - A new species of the enigmatic archosauromorph Doswellia from the Upper Triassic Bluewater … Read more
In Depth Though only named from a leg and foot, Velocisaurus seems to have been a particularly fast running dinosaur given that the leg shows clear adaptations for running, hence the name which means ‘swift lizard’. When the dinosaur Velocisaurus was first described by Jos� Bonaparte in 1991 he speculated that Velocisaurus might have been … Read more
In Depth Liaoningotitan is a genus of titanisauriform sauropod dinosaur that lived in Asia during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new Titanosauriformes dinosaur from Jehol Biota of western Liaoning, China. - Global Geology. 37 (2): 327–333. - C.-F. Zhou, W.–H. Wu, T. Sekiya & Z.-M. Dong - 2018.
In Depth Saturnalia is today considered to be a sauropodomorph, albeit a very primitive one at that. The fossil record concerning the evolution of dinosaurs is still very incomplete and quite possibly will never be known as a whole, but as soon as dinosaurs appeared in the Triassic period it seems that it was only … Read more
In Depth Further Reading - A new phytosaur (Archosauriformes, Phytosauria) from the Lot’s Wife beds (Sonsela Member) within the Chinle Formation (Upper Triassic) of Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32 (3): 573–586. - M. R. Stocker - 2012.