In Depth Further Reading – Nuralagus rex, gen. et sp. nov., an endemic insular giant rabbit from the Neogene of Minorca. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31 (2): 231–240 – Josep Quintana, Mike Kohler, Salvador Moya-Sola – 2011. – Palaeontology: The giant rabbits of Minorca. – Nature 472: 9 – Meike Kohler – 2011. – … Read more
In Depth Gogonasus was first named in 1985 from a single preserved snout, but since this time better and better specimens have been recovered, with several skulls, and a complete three dimensionally preserved individual discovered in 2005 (another example of how the Gogo Formation of Australia is yielding exquisitely well preserved fossils). Gogonasus is thought … Read more
In Depth Mitredon is a genus of cynodont that lived in what is now Greenland during the late Triassic. Further Reading - A cynodont from the Upper Triassic of East Greenland: tooth replacement and double-rootedness. - Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 156:49-58. - M. D. Shapiro & F. A. Jenkins - 2001.
In Depth Shanyangosaurus is a little known genus of coelurosaurian dinosaur that lived in China. Further Reading - The development and environmental changes of the intermontane basins in the Eastern part of Qinling Mountains. - Geological Publishing House, Beijing. - X. Xue, Y. Zhang, Y. Bi, L. Yue & D.-K. Chen - 1996.
In Depth Acheroraptor was the first confirmed genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaur to be known as coming from the world famous Hell Creek Formation of North America. Dromaeosaurid teeth had been known before this time, but they had often been presumed to have come from either Dromaeosaurus or Saurornitholestes, though these teeth are now more commonly … Read more
In Depth The most notable features of Eusthenopteron are the powerfully built pectoral and pelvic fins. This led to early speculation that Eusthenopteron could use these fins to crawl out of the water and onto land. This in turn led to Eusthenopteron being classed by some as a link to the early tetrapods. Today however, … Read more
In Depth Anteophthalmosuchus fossils were originally attributed to Goniopholis crassidens, another genus of prehistoric crocodile from across Europe and Asia. A new study over a century later however found the fossils to actually belong to a distinct genus of crocodile rather than the type species of Goniopholis. Anteophthalmosuchus was chosen as the name of the … Read more
In Depth At the time of writing Tratayenia is only known from a partial post cranial remains, mostly associated with the spine and hips, but the discovery of even these scant remains has significantly improved our understanding of the South American dinosaurs in the Cretaceous. It was long thought that carcharodontosaurid theropod dinosaurs (e.g. Mapusaurus) … Read more
In Depth Megawhaitsia is a genus of therocephalian therapsid that lived in Russia during the Permian. At the time of its description, Megawhaitsia is only known from a single portion of maxilla, the tooth bearing bone of the upper jaw. However, reconstructions of the skull of Megawhaitsia based upon scaling to the maxilla have revealed … Read more
In Depth Scolosaurus was quick to become one of the better known ankylosaurid dinosaurs of the second half of the early twentieth century, at times rivalling even Ankylosaurus in popular media about dinosaurs. This was thanks largely to the relatively complete preservation of the holotype individual was considerably higher than most other ankylosaurids known at … Read more