In Depth Once again the term ‘wastebasket taxon’ looms like a spectre over another dinosaur. Many of the fossils that were once attributed to Camptosaurus have since been found to represent other dinosaurs, and this is especially true for the European species that were once assigned to Camptosaurus. Despite this reduction in species and geographic … Read more
In Depth There is not a lot of information about Sarcosaurus due to the relatively incomplete remains from only the pelvic region of the body. This makes it impossible to ascertain the form and structure of other body parts such as the head, hands and feet, something that makes exact classification of this dinosaur near … Read more
In Depth Albertavenator is a genus of troodontid dinosaur that lived in Canada towards the end of the Cretaceous period. The genus name translates as ‘Alberta hunter’, a reference to where and how it lived. The type species name, P. curriei is in honour of paleontologist Philip J. Currie. Further Reading - A new species … Read more
In Depth The Introduction of Megalosaurus to Science Megalosaurus was the dinosaur that started a great many things including the science of palaeontology, the debate about if dinosaurs should be called names that end with ‘saurus’ because they are not ‘lizards’, to lifetimes of fascination about the creatures that once walked the Earth when we … Read more
In Depth Acristavus was a late surviving hadrosaurid that stood out from amongst the others of its kind because it had no head ornamentation. Although not strictly unique, many of the other better known hadrosaurids such as Parasaurolophus and Lambeosaurus had very elaborate and impressive head crests. The fact Acristavus did not have one suggests … Read more
In Depth When Ornithopsis was named by Harry Govier Seeley in 1870, Seeley noted the pneumaticised vertebrae and considered Ornithopsis to represent a link between pterosaurs and birds. Richard Owen however said that he was wrong, the vertebra actually represented a kind of large marine reptile, though one that probably had a well-developed respiratory system. … Read more
In Depth Dzharatitanis is a genus of rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. Although initially described from a single tail vertebra, this fossil has revealed that Dzharatitanis was a rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur, making it the first rebbachisaurid genus to be discovered in Asia. Further Reading - First rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur … Read more
In Depth While Animantarx may not be the best known nodosaurid dinosaur, it is a contender for having one of the coolest dinosaur names. Unfortunately Animantarx is only known by an incomplete skull, lower jaw and some vertebrae, which means that reconstructions are reliant upon other nodosaur parts and a best guess by the reconstructions. … Read more
In Depth Notohypsilophodon is a genus of small ornithopod dinosaur that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous. Notohypsilophodon is so named based upon a superficial similarity to the genus Hypsilophodon while also recognising the more southern occurrence of this individual. Notohypsilophodon is so far only known from the partial remains of a juvenile, … Read more
In Depth Caihong is a genus of anchiornithid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Jurassic. Caihong was a very small dinosaur, roughly about forty centimetres long in life. Caihong is noted for having feathers covering the entire body except for the snout and claws. Study of melanosome associated with Caihong show that in … Read more