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
Fossil Map Interactive fossil Map of Pachyrhinosaurus, along with its chronological bar chart of fossil discoveries. 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 … 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
In Depth Tanius is one of the many known Asian hadrosauroid dinosaurs, but one that is not very well represented. The initial description was based upon the back of the skull which seems to be that of a flat headed hadrosauroid dinosaur, the kind roughly between the earlier iguanodonts and the more advanced hadrosaurids. However … Read more
In Depth Phuwiangvenator is a genus of megaraptoran dinosaur that hunted in what is now Thailand during the Early Cretaceous. Phuwiangvenator was named alongside another theropod dinosaur called Vayuraptor, also present in the Sao Khua Formation. Care should be taken not to confuse Phuwiangvenator with Phuwiangosaurus, a titanosaurian dinosaur known from the same formation as … Read more
In Depth Originally named as a species of Camptosaurus 1909 (Gilmore), and then later Planicoxa in 2008 (Carpenter & Wilson), Osmakasaurus was established as a new genus for partial post cranial remains that establish this genus. The species name ‘depressus’ has been retained to create the type species, which is standard procedure when naming a … Read more
In Depth With a wingspan of at least a hundred and seventy-three centimetres Sericipterus was big for a basal pterosaur.It should be realised that the name which translates to ‘silk wing’ is not a reference to the appearance of the wings, but the fact that Sericipterus comes from an area that had the old ‘silk … Read more
In Depth Caseosaurus is recorded as being a genus of small theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now the South Western USA back during the Triassic. However, since being named in 1998, many have speculated that Caseosaurus may actually be synonymous with the genus Chindesaurus which was named earlier in 1995. If true then … Read more