In Depth Initially thought to represent a new specimen of Zephyrosaurus, the small partial skull of the holotype was soon realised to be a whole new genus of small ceratopsian dinosaur. Like most primitive ceratopsian dinosaurs, Aquilops was a fairly small dinosaur measuring just over half a meter in length. The name Aquilops means ‘eagle … Read more
In Depth Adamantinasuchus was a fairly small notosuchian crocodylomorph from the late Cretaceous Adamantina Formation of Brazil, Many crurotarsans are known from the Adamantina Formation, including Armadillosuchus, Morrinhosuchus, Baurusuchus and Mariliasuchus to name just a few. Out of these, Adamantinasuchus may have been most similar to Mariliasuchus. The teeth of Adamantinasuchus suggest a possible carnivorous … Read more
In Depth about Saltasaurus The discovery of Saltasaurus was a revelation in that at least some titanosaurid sauropods actually had armour plates on their backs. These plates are actually called osteoderms and are bony growths that were within the skin, and in Saltasaurus these were ten to twelve centimetres across and seemed to form low conical spikes. These osteoderms had … Read more
In Depth A little known creature, Acteosaurus has been speculated to be a marine reptile, similar to the mosasauroids. Acteosaurus was named after Actaeon, a hunter in Greek Mythology. Further Reading – On the Subdivisions of the Inferior Oolite in the South of England, compared with the Equivalent Beds of that Formation on the Yorkshire … Read more
In Depth For one hundred and forty years Amphicoelias was regarded by some to have been one of the largest dinosaurs to ever walk the earth. First named in 1878 by Edward Drinker Cope, and based upon some truly large fossils of vertebrae and partial limbs and pubis bones. Three species were named, A. altus, … Read more
In Depth Arnognathus was a genus of non-mammalian synapsid that lived in South Africa during the Triassic. Further Reading – On Some New Fossil Reptiles from the Karroo Beds of Victoria West, South Africa. – Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society 18:31-42. – Robert Broom – 1907.
In Depth Although Afrosmilus superficially looks like an African big cat, it is actually a barbourfelid, a group of mammals that appeared before the big cats of the Felidae. However exactly how close barbourofelids are to true cats is actually a matter of debate amongst palaeontologists with some claiming that they are not related at … Read more
In Depth A relative of other primitive whales such as Dorudon and Zygorhiza, Ancalecetus would have been a toothed predatory whale that hunted other marine organisms for food. In fact, Ancalecetus is seen to be very similar to Dorudon atrox with the exception of the fore limbs of Ancalecetus being much smaller and closer to … Read more
In Depth Archeopelta was a quadrupedal low slung reptile with a build similar to that of a crocodile. Archeopelta also would have had armoured scutes protecting its body in a similar manner to a crocodile. A predator of smaller animals, the armour may have protected them from rauisuchians and the early ancestors of the … Read more
In Depth Although not the largest of prehistoric elephants, Anancus stands out from the crowd with its greatly elongated tusks which could reach lengths of up to four meters, almost as long as the body. These tusks which were like in all elephants modified teeth, are thought to have been used to root up plants … Read more