In Depth Eoentelodon was a relatively small and early genus of entelodont that acquired its name from its early appearance on the landscape before the much larger Entelodon. However, its validity as a valid genus has been disputed, most specifically in a 2004 study by Lucas and Emry which saw the genus being declared to … Read more
In Depth Although Dryopithecus is known to have had a broad geographic distribution, it is particularly well known from European countries such as France, Spain and Hungary. Dryopithecus is often associated with the orangutan-like Sivapithecus, however study of Dryopithecus fossils indicate that it was actually very different in life. The main difference between these two … Read more
In Depth Towards the end of the Triassic a group of reptiles evolved wings so that they could fly after insects in the air, becoming the reptiles now known to us as pterosaurs. Over one hundred and sixty million years later and only around thirteen million years after the pterosaurs became extinct at the end … Read more
In Depth Babakotia was what is more commonly known as a sloth lemur. This is because unlike the lemurs that we know today, Babakotia had body proportions more like those of a sloth, something which has led to speculation that this lemur was also sloth like in its behaviour. The term sloth lemur is a … Read more
In Depth Barbatodon is a genus of mammal that lived in Europe during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - Pr�cisions sur les affinit�s des Multitubercul�s (Mammalia) du Cr�tac� Sup�rieur de Roumanie [Precise details on the affinities of the multituberculates (Mammalia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Romania]. - Comptes Rendus de l’Acad�mie des Sciences � Paris, … Read more
In Depth When first described the prehistoric whale Livyatan was actually named Leviathan after the biblical sea monster. Unfortunately however Leviathan had already been used to name a mastodon now known as Mammut (Leviathan is actually a synonym to this genus, but still cannot be used). As such the Hebrew word for Leviathan, Livyatan, is … Read more
In Depth Paramachairodus is a genus of sabre-toothed cat that lived during the Miocene/Pliocene. The Paramachairodus genus represents one of the first true sabre-toothed cats to appear. Further Reading - Aspects of the functional morphology in the cranial and cervical skeleton of the sabre-toothed cat Paramachairodus ogygia (Kaup, 1832) (Felidae, Machairodontinae) from the Late Miocene … Read more
In Depth Hutegotherium is a genus of docodont mammal that lived in Russia during the Bathonian stage of the Jurassic. Further Reading - New docodontians from the Middle Jurassic of Siberia and reanalysis of docodonta interrelationships. - Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS 314 (2): 121–148. - A. A. Averianov, A. V. Lopatin, S. A. … Read more
In Depth Himalayacetus is one of if not the oldest archaeocetid whale currently known to us. Unfortunately at the time of writing the only part of this primitive whale that we have is a partial jaw, but this is still enough to identify Himalayacetus as a relative of the better known Ambulocetus. Himalayacetus should not … Read more
In Depth Whakakai is a genus of whale that lived in waters around New Zealand during the Oligocene. Further Reading - Archaic baleen whale from the Kokoamu Greensand: earbones distinguish a new late Oligocene mysticete (Cetacea: Mysticeti) from New Zealand. - Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 46(2):117-138. - C. H. Tsai & … Read more