In Depth Fossils of Xinjiangovenator were once attributed to the genus Phaedrolosaurus, however Phaedrolosaurus was originally described from a single tooth with additional lower limb bones referred to the genus upon the basis that they were found near the tooth within the same fossil bearing formation. In 2005 Rauhut and Xu separated these remains from … Read more
In Depth Tetracynodon is a genus of therocephalian therapsid that is noted as having lived through the Permian/Triassic extinction event, something that was probably the most dramatic extinction level event recorded in our planets history, even more devastating than the extinction that killed off the dinosaurs. One thing of note is that the Permian species … Read more
In Depth The holotype fossils of Kenomagnathus were originally thought to be of the genus Haptodus until they were formally described as a distinct genus in 2020. Although only partially preserved, the size of the lacrimal bone suggests that Kenomagnathus would have had large eyes. As a hunter, these large eyes might have helped Kenomagnathus … Read more
In Depth Leptalestes is a genus of metatherian mammal that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - A revision of “pediomyid” marsupials from the Late Cretaceous of North America. - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 52(2):217-256. - B. M. Davis - 2007.
In Depth Not too much is known about Sarkastodon because so far as only the skull and jaw are known for certain. The size and construction of these skulls however strongly suggest that in life Sarkastodon would have been a very large, powerful animal and is often likened to being like a bear. Like many … Read more
In Depth At the time of its description Haplocheirus was the oldest known alvarezsaur by an impressive sixty-three million years before the previous record holder. This places Haplocheirus firmly within the Oxfordian stage of the Jurassic revealing that the alvarezsaurs began at least this far back rather than the early Cretaceous period as previously thought. … Read more
In Depth Lycaenops acquired its name from the striking similarity between it and modern wolves. Although Lycaenops itself was what is loosely termed a mammal like reptile, its similarity to wolves is most likely a case of convergent evolution. Some sources about prehistoric animals also go one further and claim that Lycaenops also hunted in … Read more
In Depth Lusonectes was named from a combination of Luso (Portugese), and nectes (swimmer), and at the time of its naming it was the only plesiosaur genus named from a Portugese deposit. However Europe during the Jurassic was more a collection of islands rather than the single large land mass it is today, so it … Read more
In Depth Epachthosaurus is a genus of basal titanosaur that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous. This is significant because much more advanced titanosaurs were living in South America at this time, which in itself suggests that Epachthosaurus was a late surviving form. One individual of Epachthosaurus (UNPSJB-PV 920) is represented by an … Read more
In Depth As the name suggests, Archaeoistiodactylus is the oldest known istiodactylid pterosaur. Further Reading – A new pterosaur (Pterosauria) from Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of western Liaoning, China. – Global Geology 13:113-118. – J. L� & X. Fucha – 2018.