In Depth While loricatan paracrocodylomorphs are fairly well known from the Santa maria Formation, Dagasuchus is the first rauisuchian genus known from the Santacruzodon assemblage zone, something which has enabled this genus to fill an evolutionary gap. So far Dagasuchus is only known from a partial hip which make reconstructions fairly difficult. However since the … Read more
In Depth The discovery of Pterodaustro was a fantastic find, as not only was it the first pterosaur to be discovered in South America, here was a pterosaur that filtered for food in a similar manner to a modern day flamingo. This is evidenced by the strongly upwards curing beak that instead of having more … Read more
In Depth A close relative of the better known ceratopsian dinosaur Leptoceratops, Prenoceratops can be told apart by the skull which has a greater slope to the skull than that seen in Leptoceratops. Further Reading - Description of Prenoceratops pieganensis gen et sp. nov. (Dinosauria: Neoceratopsia) from the Two Medicine Formation of Montana. - Journal … Read more
In Depth There is little doubt that Paralititan sits comfortably amongst some of the biggest sauropod dinosaurs that are known to us. Though the skeleton of Paralititan is largely incomplete, the humerus (upper ‘arm’ bone) is known to have reached a length of one hundred and sixty-nine centimetres long, something that at the time of … Read more
In Depth Yutyrannus is a good example of a tyrannosaur that had feathers, although it is not the first or only known tyrannosaur to have had feathers like some news reports claimed at the time of its discovery. The first tyrannosaur to be feathered was actually Dilong which was named in 2004 and is … Read more
In Depth The holotype specimen of Cearadactylus was not dug out of the ground by a dedicated research team, but was instead purchased from fossil dealers in Italy in 1983. Unfortunately these fossil dealers made several mistakes in rebuilding the fossil, including mistaking the front of the lower jaw for the snout and setting it … Read more
In Depth A very interesting find, Yinlong represents the earliest identifiable ceratopsian dinosaur. Despite its small size and bipedal stance, the descendants of Yinlong would evolve into the huge quadrupedal herbivores like Triceratops that lived at the end of the Cretaceous. Study of the skull has revealed a small rostral bone, or more commonly called … Read more
In Depth Francosuchus has been established as a possibly primitive phytosaur that lived in Europe during the Triassic. The genus is based upon two species, but described from a single partial skull each. However, these skulls were destroyed during World War Two, and since these are now unavailable for study and comparison, Francosuchus is now … Read more
In Depth Even though it did not have the elaborate horns of some ceratopsians like Einiosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus has become a favourite amongst ceratopsian dinosaur enthusiasts because of the large bony growth called a boss that is present on top of its snout. A second smaller boss was also present over the eyes and is sometimes … Read more
In Depth Seldsienean is a genus of thalattosuchian that lived in European waters during the mid Jurassic. Seldsienean was originally named as a species of Steneosaurus, but was moved into its own genus as a result of a massive revision to the Steneosaurus genus. Further Reading - The phylogenetics of Teleosauroidea (Crocodylomorpha, Thalattosuchia) and implications … Read more