In Depth Unfortunately very little fossil material for this pterosaur exists, but the post cranial remains of Hatzegopteryx do bare striking similarities to Quetzalcoatlus, even to point that some consider Hatzegopteryx to be a possible synonym of Quetzalcoatlus. There still is one subtle area of known difference, and this is the way that the jaws … Read more
In Depth Stagonolepis had the typical aetosaur body form, quadrupedal, short legs and osteoderms than ran down the length of the body. This form could be described as crocodile-like, but caution should be exercised before assuming that Stagonolepis lived like a crocodile as well. Stagonolepis had neither piercing or slicing teeth, but peg-like teeth adapted … Read more
In Depth Darwinopterus was a truly ground breaking discovery as it displays features of both the basal rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs, and the later more advanced pterodactyloid pterosaurs. Before the discovery of Darwinopterus, there was a marked gap between these two groups, but now that the transitional form of Darwinopterus has been found it is considered to … Read more
In Depth When Alexander Kellner found what was thought to be a Pteranodon, he realised that morphological differences in the specimen meant that it was not a match. Kellner then compared it to the next closest pterosaur and in the process made the exciting discovery that it was not an individual of this genus either … Read more
In Depth Kelyophis is a genus of snake that lived in Madagascar during the Late Cretaceous. Further Reading - A Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) snake assemblage from the Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30 (1): 109–138. - T. C. Laduke, D. W. Krause, J. D. Scanlon & N. J. Kley - … Read more
In Depth Since the genus was named in 2003, there has been some speculation that Lamaceratops may in fact be based upon fossils referable to Bagaceratops. This is because there is very little difference between known fossils of Bagaceratops and the holotype fossils for Lamaceratops, though Lamaceratops may also represent a species of Bagaceratops not … Read more
In Depth The future for Puntanipterus is uncertain and the reason for this goes back to its early discovery. When described, Puntanipterus was noted as being similar to the filter feeding pterosaur Pterodaustro save for differences in the ankles and tibia. What must be remembered however is that pterosaur fossils, including those of Pterodaustro are … Read more
In Depth The larger an animal becomes in life, the more likely it is that it will only be represented by a few bones, and this is because the body is usually scattered by the actions of scavengers as well as environmental factors such as floods and wind storms long before the body can be … Read more
In Depth Nemegtomaia was originally named Nemegtia in 2004, but it was soon realised that this name had already been used to name another animal. So in 2005 the describers renamed it Nemegtomaia to avoid confusion. Nemegtomaia is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in what is now Mongolia during the late Cretaceous. At … Read more
In Depth Nankangia is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in China during the late Cretaceous. Although only known from partial remains, Nankangia has been speculated to have been more inclined to eating plants because the jaw symphysis is not downturned. However the exact diet for Nankangia, like with many other oviraptorid genera is … Read more