In Depth Malawania is a genus of ichthyosaur that lived around the Middle East during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - A basal thunnosaurian from Iraq reveals disparate phylogenetic origins for Cretaceous ichthyosaurs. - Biology Letters 98(4). - V. Fischer, R. M. Appleby, D. Naish, J. Liston, J. B. Riding, S. Brindley & P. Godefroit … Read more
In Depth It was once thought that Herbstosaurus represented one of the first pterosaurs of the more advanced Pterodactyloidea, however it is now realised that it recovered from a Vaca Muerta Formation which dated as being from the Tithonian. Herbstosaurus has continued to cause some disagreement between palaeontologists as to its exact position within the … Read more
In Depth Eunotosaurus was long considered the ancestor to turtles. This theory came from the specially enlarged and curved vertebrae and ribs that balloon outwards that would have created the appearance of a skin covered shell. It is now thought however that the vertebrae and rib adaptation of Eunotosaurus and the evolution of turtles are … Read more
In Depth Known from a partial skull, Kuntinaru is a genus of dasypodid armadillo that lived in Bolivia during the Oligocene. Further Reading - Oldest cingulate skulls provide congruence between morphological and molecular scenarios of armadillo evolution. - Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278 (1719): 2791–2797. - Guillaume Billet, Lionel Hautier, Christian de Muizon … Read more
In Depth Since the naming of the genus in 1893, Microcoelus has become something of a dubious genus of titanosaur. This is because at the time if writing only a single dorsal (back) vertebra is known. A humerus (upper arm bone) that was once assigned to the genus has now been moved to the genus … Read more
In Depth Yangchuanosaurus is often likened to fulfilling the same ecological niche as Allosaurus, except in Asia instead of North America. Not only does Yangchuanosaurus have a similar morphology to Allosaurus it also had access to similar prey items such as stegosaurs and sauropods. Yangchuanosaurus had a characteristic growth on top of its nose as … Read more
In Depth Tacuadactylus is a genus of ctenochasmatid pterosaur that lived in South America during the late Jurassic. As a ctenochasmatid, Tacuadactylus would have probably been a filter feeder, using its teeth which faced out to the sides to filter out small invertebrates from soft silt and mud. Further reading - A new ctenochasmatid (Pterosauria, … Read more
In Depth Dineobellator is a genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in North America during the last stage of the Cretaceous. When compared to other dinosaurs, Dineobellator seems to have been on the way to developing some advanced specialisations, and shows greater range of motion in both hands and feet. Additionally there also seems to … Read more
In Depth Nuurtherium is a genus of cynodont therapsid that lived in Asia during the Late Jurassic. Further Reading - Two New Tritylodontids (Synapsida, Cynodontia, Mammaliamorpha) from the Upper Jurassic, Southwestern Mongolia. - American Museum Novitates 3874:1-35. - P. M. Velazco, A. J. Buczek & M. J. Novacek - 2017.
In Depth Today Elasmosaurus is one of the best known plesiosaurs in the world, and is the type genus for the Elasmosauridae. This group is noted for having particularly long necks, proportionately even longer than the more standard plesiosaurs. These long necks are composed of a large number of cervical vertebrae that in Elasmosaurus number … Read more