In Depth Reconstruction of Variriaptor from available fossils is difficult as only partial remains exist. Discovered fossils do appear to be superficially similar to Deinonychus, although Variraptor appears to be of an overall smaller build. Some size estimates do have Variraptor reaching up to three meters in length, although the smaller estimate of two meters … Read more
In Depth Sisteronia is a genus of ophtahlmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived in European seas during the end of the early Cretaceous to perhaps into the early part of the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - High diversity in Cretaceous ichthyosaurs from Europe prior to their extinction. - PLoS ONE 9(1):e84709. - V. Fischer, N. Bardet, M. … Read more
In Depth Eopolycotylus is another example of one of the short necked/long jawed polycotylid plesiosaurs of the Cretaceous era. The genus name Eopolycotylus means ‘Dawn Polycotylus’ and is a reference to the earlier appearance of Eopolycotylus in the fossil record to Polycotylus, the type genus of the Polycotylidae. The type species name honours David O. … Read more
In Depth Chuanqilong is a genus of ankylosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - A New Basal Ankylosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China. - PLoS ONE 9 (8). - F. Han, W. Zheng, D. Hu, X. Xu & P. M. Barrett - 2014.
In Depth Zhuchengceratops was on the larger average size for known leptoceratopsid dinosaurs, and one of the most impressive features were the mandibles (lower jaw bones), which at fifty centimetres long and eighteen centimetres deep at the mid-point, were simply huge for a dinosaur of this size. These mandibles were about one and a half … Read more
In Depth Amargasaurus has easily become one of the most popular dinosaurs thanks to the elongated neural spines of the neck vertebrae that are immediately apparent from even a casual glance at the skeleton of this dinosaur. Technically known as hemispinous processes, these spines rise up from the top of the vertebrae and are bifurcated, … Read more
In Depth Though only known from partial remains, Cratochelone has been confirmed as being a protostegid turtle, and one that was very large in size. Though some researchers have credited Cratochelone as being only about two meters in length, the original and more recent studies have ascertained that Cratochelone may have actually reached up to … Read more
In Depth Originally discovered in 1951, the holotype fossil of Wahlisaurus was not officially described until sixty-five years later in 2016. Wahlisaurus is a leptonectid ichthyosaur noted for having a very long snout. Other ichthyosaurs similar to Wahlisaurus include Leptonectes, Eurhinosaurus and Excalibosaurus. Further Reading - A new leptonectid ichthyosaur from the Lower Jurassic (Hettangian) … Read more
In Depth Ferrodraco is a genus of pterosaur known to have lived in Australia during the late Cretaceous. Ferrodraco is an ornithocheird pterosaur, a type often associated with the sea, snatching fish from the water. Like many of its relatives, Ferrodraco had a crest rising up on the end of the snout, which in Ferrodraco … Read more
In Depth Malawisaurus began its classification history as a species of Gigantosaurus, however this genus has had a long problematic history regarding its validity and further study towards the end of the twentieth century confirmed that material attributed to Gigantosaurus dixeyi actually belonged to a separate genus, and so Malawisaurus was created. Malawisaurus was a … Read more