In Depth Initially thought to represent a large Pentaceratops individual, Titanoceratops was declared its own genera after further study found the material to belong to a new, although still very similar, ceratopsian dinosaur. The large size of Titanoceratops was the inspiration for the new genera name, with the species name T. ouranos derived from the … Read more
In Depth In 1983 a fossil hunter named William Walker discovered a large fossilised claw in a clay pit. Retrieval of this claw also resulted in the recovery of associated bones that revealed a new and previously unknown type of theropod dinosaur. Alan Charig and Angela Milner described and formerly named the new dinosaur Baryonyx … Read more
In Depth Ambopteryx is a genus of scansoriopterygid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the late Jurassic. The name Ambopteryx means ‘both wing’ and this is a reference to the observations that fossil impressions with the holotype skeleton show that Ambopteryx was feathered, but then had bat-like membranous wings which were not feathered as well. … Read more
In Depth Dacentrurus was originally named Omosaurus armatus in 1875 by the famous British palaeontologist Richard Owen, however the genus name of Omosaurus was already used to name another animal. This led to the 1902 renaming by Frederic Lucas, although the species name was still retained in creating the type species of the new genus, … Read more
In Depth Chubutisaurus seems to have been a large but primitive titanosaur that lived in Chubut Province towards the end of the early Cretaceous, hence the name which means ‘Chubut lizard’. Although known from different members of the Cerro barcino Formation, possible predatory threats to Chubutisaurus might have included large theropod dinosaurs such as Genyodectes … Read more
In Depth Once again one of the most famous dinosaurs of all time is actually represented by some of the most incomplete fossil material. To date Pachycephalosaurus is only represented by skull material; the actual appearance of the body so often seen in restorations is actually based upon the common form seen in more complete … Read more
In Depth Sinornithoides is a genus of small troodontid dinosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. The holotype individual of this genus, a subadult, was found in a nesting position with its head tucked under its left arm, very similar to how another small troodontid named Mei was found. This may indicate that … Read more
In Depth Not many fossilised bones of this dinosaur are known, but those that are are simply huge. Comparing these bones to the more complete remains of other genera has resulted in very rough estimates of around thirty meters long, raising the probability that Ruyangosaurus was one of the largest animals to ever walk the … Read more
In Depth Janenschia is a genus of titanosaur that has a classification history closely tied to the African diplodocid sauropod Torneria and by extension the North American Barosaurus and the English Gigantosaurus. We start in England in 1869 when Harry Govier Seeley named Gigantosaurus based upon a few vertebrae, partial limb bones and an osteoderm. … Read more
In Depth Crichtonpelta was originally named as a second species of the ankylosaur Crichtonsaurus, however in 2014 the holotype skull of this species was re-described as distinct genus, making the species become a genus. Both Crichtonpelta and Crichtonsaurus were named in memory of Michael Crichton, the world famous novelist who in palaeontoligcal circles is best … Read more