In Depth about Dunkleosteus In modern popular culture, Dunkleosteus is by far the best known and most often represented of the early placoderm carnivores. However Dunkleosteus actually sat within the Dinichthys genus for a long time as the species Dinichthys terrelli. It was not until the large numbers of Dinichthys remains were re-studied that it was realised that a large number of the Dinichthys fossils actually represented different … Read more
In Depth As a lamniform shark, Squalicorax probably would have resembled a modern Great White shark. Aside from swimming the northern oceans between North America, Europe and North Africa, an articulated skeleton of Squalicorax, S. falcatus, has been recovered from the US state of Kansas. This indicates that Squalicorax was also swimming in the Western … Read more
In Depth Although Nakalipithecus is so far only known from a jaw bone, Nakalipithecus has been a major contribution to our understanding of hominid evolution specifically regarding hominines, including the ancestors of humans. For some time there have been two competing theories regarding the ancient origins of our own direct ancestors, concerning either an African … Read more
In Depth Teleocrater is a genus of meat eating archosaur that lived in Africa during the Triassic. Further Reading - The earliest bird-line archosaurs and the assembly of the dinosaur body plan. - Nature 544(27):484-487. - S. J. Nesbitt, R. J. Butler, M. D. Ezcurra, P. M. Barrett, M. R. Stocker, K. D. Angielczyk, R. … Read more
In Depth Zalmoxes was discovered when fossils that had been assigned to the genus Rhabdodon as R. robustus (originally robustum) were discovered to have different distinguishing features. This was actually the second time that the material had been re-named as initially it was known as a species of Mochlodon. Today Zalmoxes is described as an … Read more
In Depth Dipnorhynchus is a genus of primitive lungfish that already shows changes from its sarcopterygian ancestry. The skull is no longer in two halves and instead, in the loosest terms, forms a box. The palate of Dipnorhynchus was fused to the skull, like in land dwelling animals, and instead of having cheek teeth, Dipnorhynchus … Read more
In Depth Aviatyrannis was for lack of a better word tiny, although this small size is actually a hallmark of tyrannosaur ancestry. Although incomplete, the fossil remains of Aviatyrannis are very similar to another ancient tyrannosaur, Stokesosaurus, from North America. This has resulted in speculation that Aviatyrannis is actually a junior synonym of Stokesosaurus, and … Read more
In Depth The discovery of Attenborosaurus was unorthodox to say the least. When first discovered the remains were referred to the Plesiosaurus genus as a new species, P. conybeari. These remains were destroyed during a bombing raid in World War II, but a plaster cast of them was made before this happened which has meant … Read more
In Depth Described in 2016 on the basis of two skulls and jaws, Agaresuchus fontisensis was a crocodile that lived in Spain during the late Cretaceous. Additionally a second species originally named as a species of Allodaposuchus, A. subjuniperus was also re-described as belonging to the genus in 2016. Further Reading - The eusuchian crocodylomorph … Read more
In Depth A passing glance at the dinosaur Bajadasaurus would likely bring immediate comparisons to another very popular sauropod dinosaur known as Amargasaurus. Amargasaurus made headlines when it was named because of the large spines that rose out and back from the neck, at the time making it unique amongst sauropod dinosaurs. The discovery of … Read more