In Depth Chanaresuchus is a genus of proterochampsian archosauromorph that lived in South America during the Triassic. With known skull sizes ranging up to twenty-six centimetres in length, Chanaresuchus would had the potential to have been a moderately sized predator, but nothing near the scale of large rauisuchians such as Saurosuchus. Chanaresuchus however would have … Read more
In Depth The name Elanodactylus ‘kite finger’ is actually in reference to a type of bird of prey called a kite, the specific genus in relation to the name being Elanus. This is because like a kite, Elanodactylus had especially long wings that would have made it stand out from other pterosaurs. Although Elanodactylus has … Read more
In Depth Qantas is a genus of temnspondyl amphibian from Russia. If the name sounds familiar then that might be because it was named in honour of the Australian airline Qantas which supplied funding for the study. Further Reading – New data on trematosauroid labyrinthodonts of Eastern Europe: 3. Qantas samarensis gen. Et sp. Nov”. … Read more
In Depth Gobihadros is a genus of hadrosauroid dinosaur known to have lived in central Asia during the earlier stages of the late Cretaceous. Known from numerous fossils from several individuals of varying ages and sizes, and some of these articulated, Gobihadros is one of the best preserved hadrosaurs from Asia. Further Reading - A … Read more
In Depth There is a lot of confusion about the pliosaur genus Sinopliosaurus, all stemming from a misidentification of some spinosaurid dinosaur teeth as those belonging to a marine reptile. The first species of Sinopliosaurus, S. weiyuanensis was established by C. C. Young, and was established as a pliosaur. Then in 1975 a second species … Read more
In Depth Yuornis is a genus of enantiornithine bird that lived in China during the late Cretaceous. The skull of Yuornis is noted for being completely toothless. Further reading - A new, remarkably preserved, enantiornithine bird from the Upper Cretaceous Qiupa Formation of Henan (central China) and convergent evolution between enantiornithines and modern birds. - … Read more
In Depth Quaesitosaurus is only known from a partial skull of what appears to have been a diplodocid sauropod dinosaur, however it has also drawn similarity to Nemegtosaurus that is also from the same area and also only known from a skull. If true then Quaesitosaurus may also be connected Opisthocoelicaudia which is only known … Read more
In Depth Mesembriornis was a middle of the range ‘terror bird’ with regards to its size, but it was one of the last known to have lived. In overall build Mesembriornis was similar to other medium sized phorusrhacids such as Andalgalornis and may have also filled the same ecological niche as its earlier predecessor. Mesembriornis … Read more
In Depth Although based upon incomplete remains, Ceratonykus is known to have been one of the alvarezsaurs. Other alvarezsaurs from the same formation include Parvicursor and possibly Mononykus. Further Reading - Ceratonykus oculatus gen. et sp. nov., a new dinosaur (? Theropoda, Alvarezsauria) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. - Paleontological Journal 43(1):94-106. - V. … Read more
In Depth By the end of the Triassic, the temnospondyl amphibians had already been greatly reduced in number to what they were in the earlier Permian and Carboniferous. They were not all gone however, and some like Cyclotosaurus were without doubt flourishing. So far fossils of Cyclotosaurus have been found all the way from Greenland, … Read more