In Depth Named after the Polish word for dragon, the full name Smok wawelski is actually in reference to a dragon that was said to live in a cave near the fossil site. Since the remains were first dug up in 2007, and first described in 2008, Smok has been referred to as a saurischian … Read more
In Depth Dongyangopelta is a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that lived in South-east China around the early/late Cretaceous boundary. Nodosaurids were similar to ankylosaurids, though they lacked the clubbed tail and usually had narrower skulls. Another genus of nodosaurid dinosaur named Zhejiangosaurus is also known from this part of China, though there are clear differences … Read more
In Depth Diamantinasaurus along with Wintonotitan were the first sauropod dinosaurs discovered in Australia since the discovery of Austrosaurus over seventy-five years earlier. Diamantinasaurus has the nickname ‘Matilda’ and this along with the type species D. matildae, are in reference to the folk song ‘Waltzing Matilda’. Much of the skeleton of Diamantinasaurus is still unknown. … Read more
In Depth As an enantiornithine was very close to being a bird without technically being one. Dalingheornis lived in what is now North-East China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - The first Mesozoic heterodactyl bird from China. - Acta Geologica Sinica 80(5):631-635. - Z. Zhang, L. Hou, Y. Hasegawa, J. O’Connor, L. D. Martin … Read more
In Depth Named early in 2016, Fukuivenator has quickly become recognised as one of the more bizarre dinosaurs. We know that Fukuivenator is what is termed a coelurosaur, though the genus displays not only a mix of primitive and advanced features, but also a combination of characteristics of maniraptoran and ornithomimid dinosaurs. It is quite … Read more
In Depth Originally named as a species of Iguanodon, Dakotadon is so far only known from a partial skull. Like other ornithopods, Dakotadon would have fed upon plants growing at varying heights, adjusting its stance and posture to reach. Further Reading - A revised taxonomy of the iguanodont dinosaur genera and species. – Cretaceous Research … Read more
In Depth Named from only four caudal vertebrae, Pakisaurus is a genus that faces a future where without further remains, it will probably end up being regarded as a dubious genus. This is because even if new titanosaurian sauropod fossils are discovered, they cannot be confidently assigned to the genus unless they are found in … Read more
In Depth Muiscasaurus is a genus of opthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous. Opthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs like Muiscasaurus are thought to have been specialists that hunted in deep water where there was very little light. Further Reading - A new ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Colombia. - Papers in Palaeontology. - E. … Read more
In Depth Minotaurasaurus was an Asian ankylosaurid dinosaur, presumably of the late Cretaceous. However the skull that makes up the holotype of Minotaurasaurus is more famous for the controversy surrounding it. The skull was purchased from a fossil dealer by Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, who in turn allowed it to be studied by palaeontologists. However at … Read more
In Depth Although only a very small dinosaur, Lesothosaurus has raised a lot of questions as to exactly what it was and how the genus was related to other ornithischian dinosaurs. When first described by Galton in 1978, Lesothosaurus was proposed to be an ornithopod. However the genus has also been considered to be a … Read more