In Depth Although it did not have the large sail supporting spines that other pelycosaurs like Dimetrodon, Secodontosaurus, Ctenospondylus and Edaphosaurus had, Sphenacodon still possessed enlarged neural spines rising from its vertebrae. These are considered to have been the supports for powerful dorsal muscles that would allow Sphenacodon to undertake powerful strikes towards is prey, … Read more
In Depth Gueragama is a genus of iguanian lizard that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - A stem acrodontan lizard in the Cretaceous of Brazil revises early lizard evolution in Gondwana. - Nature Communications 6:8149:1-8. - T. R. Sim�es, E. Wilner, M. W. Caldwell, L. C. Weinsch�tz & A. W. … Read more
In Depth Kamagorgon is still only known by a partial skull, which is noted as having a short snout and greatly enlarged canine teeth. Initially the skull was thought to be that of a biarmosuchian (a creature similar to Biarmosuchus), but more recent thinking is that it may be that of a gorgonopsid. Further Reading … Read more
In Depth Enaliarctos has been commonly included in books about prehistoric animals where it is credited as being the first pinniped, the groups that seals, sea lions and walruses all belong to. The 2009 description of Puijila however has taken some of the limelight away since this is even more primitive pinneped in form that … Read more
In Depth Newtonella is a genus of dicynodont that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading - A further contribution to our knowledge of the fossil reptiles of the Karroo. - Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 107(3):299-318.- Robert Broom - 1937.
In Depth Hualianceratops is a genus of small ceratopsian dinosaur that lived in China during the Late Jurassic. Identified as a member of the Chaoyangsauridae group of ceratopsians, Hualianceratops would have been a small and bipedal herbivore. Further Reading - A new taxon of basal ceratopsian from China and the early evolution of Ceratopsia. – … Read more
In Depth Phiomicetus is a genus of protocetid whale that lived in North Africa during the Eocene. Analysis of the jaws and teeth shows that Phiomicetus would have been a powerful predator, possibly feeding upon a variety of prey animals. Phiomicetus also seems to have still been capable of easily walking about on land when … Read more
In Depth Sinankylosaurus is a genus of ankylosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. Though only known from partial remains, the presence of Sinankylosaurus again illustrates the similarity of animal fauna between Asia and North America during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new ankylosaurian from the Late Cretaceous strata of Zhucheng, … Read more
In Depth Joumocetus is a genus of whale that is known to have lived in the Pacific waters of what is now Japan during the Miocene. Further Reading - A new baleen whale (Mysticeti: Cetotheriidae) from the earliest late Miocene of Japan and a reconsideration of the phylogeny of cetotheres. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology … Read more
In Depth Imagine a rhinoceros with several smaller horns on top of its head and forward teeth similar to a sabre-toothed cat and you have a rough idea to what Uintatherium looked like. Although first named by Joseph Leidy in 1872, Uintatherium would become involved in the ‘bone wars’, a well-publicised feud between the palaeontologists … Read more