In Depth Oryctorhynchus is a genus of rhynchosaur that lived in North America during the late Triassic. Oryctorhynchus would have fed upon low growing plants. Further reading - A new rhynchosaur (Reptilia, Archosauromorpha) from the Upper Triassic of eastern North America. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. - Hans-Dieter Sues, Adam J. Fitch & Robin L. … Read more
In Depth Oohkotokia was a medium to large ankylosaurid dinosaur that is so far only known from a single individual, though other fossils gathered in the past may actually represent specimens of this genus. Oohkotokia seems to have been similar to Euoplocephalus, though is considered distinct because the skull texture of Oohkotokia is quite smooth … Read more
In Depth Originally named Coloradia, it was later discovered that the genus name had already been assigned to a type of moth, hence the revision and change to Coloradisaurus in 1983. Identified as a massospondylid sauropodomorph, Coloradisaurus has been considered as a synonym to the genus Mussaurus. However, Mussaurus has been established only upon hatchlings, … Read more
In Depth Keresdrakon is a genus of pterosaur that lived in Brazil during the Cretaceous. The holotype individual of Keresdrakon was discovered in a bone bed with other pterosaur remains. These remains include the genus Caiuajara, proving that these two pterosaurs were active within the same ecosystem at the same time. Further Reading - A … Read more
In Depth Living in India during the early Jurassic, the dinosaur Lamplughsaura has been the source of some head scratching amongst palaeontologists. The two main options at the moment are that either Lamplughsaura represents a very advanced sauropodomorph, or a primitive sauropod dinosaur. What can be established however is that Lamplughsaura does represent a transitional … Read more
In Depth Eromangasaurus was initially known as E. carinognathus, but this was seen as a synonym to the second species of Tuarangisaurus which was also named in 2005. The material became known as Tuarangisaurus australis until further study by Bernjamin P. Kear revealed several key differences. In 2007 Eromangasaurus was resurrected as a distinct genus … Read more
In Depth Vayuraptor is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur that lived in Thailand during the Early Cretaceous. With the first fossils of the genus being discovered in the Sao Khua Fomation, Vayuraptor possibly shared its habitat with the dinosaurs Phuwiangvenator (which was also named in the same paper as Vayuraptor), Kinnareemimus, Siamosaurus, Siamotyrannus and … Read more
In Depth Originally thought to be a species of Stegosaurus at the time of the first description in 1901, the partial post cranial remains were soon identified as being a distinct genus and renamed Hoplitosaurus in 1902. The species name which honours the famous American palaeontologist Othniel Charles Marsh, who actually named the genus Stegosaurus, … Read more
In Depth Mononykus has a close relationship with another genus of alvarezsaur named Shuvuuia in that many of the fossils once attributed to Mononykus olecranus were found to be of a distinct genus, and these were moved to their own genus named Shuvuuia. Hence many of the older reconstruction and information resources about Mononykus are … Read more
In Depth Originally thought to be a skull of a pliosaur, the Plesiosuchus holotype remains were originally credited as a species of Steneosaurus by John Hulke in 1870 . Steneosaurus is a genus of teleosaurid crocodile, a type believed to be common in coastal locations such as estuaries where they fed upon fish. Later study … Read more