In Depth Taking up half of its total body length, Tanystropheus’s neck is almost inconceivable. Indeed, when Francesco Bassani discovered Tanystropheus remains in 1886 (although he named it Tribelesodon), he conceived the extra long neck vertebrae as the wing bones of a pterosaur. It was not until later that the mistake was realised and Tribelesodon … Read more
In Depth Collilongus is a genus of archosauriform that lived in Poland during the Triassic. Little is known about Collilongus because so far the genus is only known from teeth. Further Reading - Archosauriform postcranial remains from the Early Triassic karst deposits of southern Poland. Palaeontologia Polonica 65:283-328. - M. Borsuk−Białynicka & A. G. Sennikov … Read more
In Depth Garjainia is a close relative of the more famous Erythrosuchus, and like that genus, Garjainia also had what appeared to be an oversized head. This head, filled with numerous sharp teeth would have been the primary killing weapon against the herbivorous animals of the time. Further Reading - A New Species of Garjainia … Read more
In Depth Yonghesuchus is a genus of small arhcosaur that lived in China during the Triassic. Although a total body length is unknown at the time of writing, the small skull size alone indicates that Yonghesuchus would have been a small animal, and a predator of animals even smaller than itself. Further Reading - The … Read more
In Depth Kranosaura is a genus of archosauromorph that is thought to have been similar to the genus Triopticus in that Kranosaura also had a skull formed to create a dome shape. This dome structure would have been similar in form to the pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs that lived much later during the Cretaceous. Unfortunately at the … Read more
In Depth Teraterpeton was an archosauromorph that much is certain. Beyond this however Teraterpeton was so unlike any other archosauromorph seen at that time that the genus had to have its own family group named, the Teraterpetidae. The jaws of Teraterpeton are notably elongated and thin, kind of like what you might see in a … Read more
In Depth The deep skull of Dakosaurus has led to this marine reptile being nicknamed ‘Godzilla’ in the popular media. However unlike the famous Japanese daikaiju, Dakosaurus was actually a four to five meter long crocodile that was specially adapted for a life at sea. It’s tall and deep skull meant that Dakosaurus was actually … Read more
In Depth A very large prehistoric crocodile Sarcosuchus was initially only known from teeth and osteoderms. In 1964 the first skull was discovered and the type species could then be established. However it was not until the closing years of the twentieth century that more complete material including vertebra, ribs and other parts of the … Read more