In Depth Originally described as an anthracosaur amphibian, Tokosaurus has later been interpreted as a parareptile. In addition to this, Tokosaurus is also considered to be a possible synonym to the genus Macroleter. Further Reading - Nikteroletery iz Permskikh Otlozheniy Vostochnoy Evropy [Nycteroleters from the Permian of Eastern Europe]. - Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal 1984(3):98-111. - G. … Read more
In Depth Toxochelys is a genus of sea turtle that lived during the late Cretaceous, and is also one of the most common sea turtles that lived in the Western Interior Sea Way, a shallow sea that once submerged the central portion of the North American Continent. As a genus, Toxochelys seems to be in-between … Read more
In Depth The genus Lorosuchus represents one of if not the most primitive sebecid crocodiles currently known. Lorosuchus is named after the Rio Loro Formation where the holotype fossils were discovered. Further Reading – A new sebecid mesoeucrocodylian from the Rio Loro Formation (Palaeocene) of north-western Argentina. – Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 163:S7-S36. … Read more
In Depth Pacifichelys is a genus of sea turtle that lived along the coastlines of Peru and California during the mid Miocene. The morphology of the skull suggests that Pacifichelys fed upon hard shelled organisms such as shelled molluscs and crustaceans. A former species of Euclastes, E. hutchisoni, has now been renamed as a species … Read more
In Depth The discovery of Gilmoreosaurus began in 1923 when the first fossil remains were discovered. These remains were however referred to the genus Mandschurosaurus as a new species, which is where they remained until a study by Brett-Surman in 1979 saw them re-identified as a distinct genus separate from Mandschurosaurus. Later in 1995, two … Read more
In Depth Sahitisuchus is a genus of sebesuchid crocodile that lived in South America during the Paleocene/Eocene. Sahitisuchus is thought to have been semi aquatic and as a sebesuchis would have been related to genera such as Sebecus, Langstonia and Zulmasuchus. Further Reading - A new sebecid from the Paleogene of Brazil and the crocodyliform … Read more
In Depth It could be said that Jobaria is a sauropod that doesn’t know what it is due to a mix of different traits. The vertebrae of Jobaria are very simple in form which has led to some suggestion that Jobaria is a primitive sauropod. Study of other areas however has led to speculation that … Read more
In Depth Rhamphorhynchus is one of the classic pterosaurs that have been known to science since the early days of palaeontology. It had what appears to have been a sizeable distribution and aside from the above locations, Rhamphorhynchus specimens have also been attributed to other European countries like the United Kingdom. Unfortunately however, these specimens … Read more
In Depth Superficially, Utahraptor appears to be an earlier, scaled up version of Deinonychus. Specimens of Utahraptor are fragmentary but suggest a potential size of up to seven meters long, with some more conservative estimates falling nearer six meters long. These estimates make Utahraptor a contender for one of the largest known dromaeosaurid dinosaurs, but … Read more
In Depth Gongbusaurus is a genus of small ornithischian dinosaur that lived in China during the Jurassic. Further Reading – [Dinosaurs from the Jurassic of Sichuan]. - Palaeontologica Sinica, New Series C, Whole Number 162(23):1-136. - Z. Dong, S. Zhou & H. Zhang - 1983.