In Depth Miacis is often heralded as being the progenitor of the Carnivora, one of the main groups of carnivorous mammals that today include predators such as big cats, wolves and mustelids among others. However most of the known species of Miacis are considered to actually be members of the Carnivoramorpha, a group of predator … Read more
In Depth Eoherpeton is a genus of reptilomorph that is known to have lived in what is now Scotland during the Carboniferous. Further Reading - A new genus and species of anthracosaur amphibian from the Lower Carboniferous of Scotland and the status of Pholidogaster pisciformis Huxley. - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, … Read more
In Depth Brachyprosopus is a genus of anomodont therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading -The skull structure of a new anomodont. - Journal of Geology 45(8):851-858. - E. C. Olson - 1937. – A reevaluation of Brachyprosopus broomiand Chelydontops altidentalis, dicynodonts (Therapsida, Anomodontia) from the middle Permian Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone … Read more
In Depth The one thing about Basilosaurus that instantly causes confusion is its name. When first studied and named by Richard Harlan, he came to the conclusion that it was most likely a marine reptile, and so named it Basilosaurus, or ‘King lizard’. It was not until the remains were studied by Richard Owen that … Read more
In Depth Sclerorhynchus was in essence an ancient sawfish. The snout was long and specialised teeth projected out from the sides. This snout was probably the primary feeding aid in uncovering buried invertebrates like shell fish which could then be eaten by the mouth which was on the underside of the head. There has been … Read more
In Depth In 2006 the palaeontologists M. Sadiq Malkani described five new genera of titanosaur, Marisaurus, Balochisaurus, Sulaimanisaurus, Khetranisaurus and Pakisaurus, all from caudal vertebrae. From these only Marisaurus and Balochisaurus have had skull remains attributed to them, and only Marisaurus has (partial) rear limb bones attributed to the genus. Marisaurus and Balochisaurus were also … Read more
In Depth Ningchengopterus was a very special find as it appears to be a very young juvenile specimen. The structure of the wings suggest that Ningchengopterus was flight capable even at this young age, which in turn helps to reinforce the theory that pterosaurs could fly not long after hatching, and were possibly independent from … Read more
In Depth Uberabatitan is a genus of titanosaurid sauropod dinosaur that is known from the Marilla Formation of the bauru group of Brazil. Being Maastrichtian in age, Uberabatitan would have been one of the last titanosaurs to live before the KT extinction ended the reign of the dinosaurs. Further Reading - Uberabatitan ribeiroi, a new … Read more
In Depth Riebeeckosaurus would have been just another run of the mill tapinocephalid dinocephalian therapsid were it not for the extreme elongation of the skull. Though possibly for display, the elongation of the skull may denote a feeding adaptation and dietary specialisation. Further Reading - Nuwe tapinocephalidae, Riebeeckosaurus longisrostris gen. et sp. nov. Tydskr. Wet. … Read more
In Depth Reiszia is a genus of synapsid that lived in Russia during the Permian. Further Reading Further reading- The Nikkasauridae-Problematic Primitive Therapsids from the Late Permian of the Mezen Localities. – Paleontol. J. 34(Suppl. 2), 179–186. – M. F. Ivakhnenko – 2000.- Podklass Theromorpha. In M. F. Ivakhnenko and E. N. Kurochkin (eds.), Iskopaemye … Read more