In Depth Though only a small animal, as of 2015 Erpetonyx is the earliest known appearance of a parareptile. This is an important discovery as it helps to fill a gap in our understanding of the evolution of reptiles. The original describers have also speculated that Erpetonyx is a possible bolosaurid. Further Reading - The … Read more
In Depth Although Champsosaurus looked like a crocodile and almost certainly lived like a crocodile, the genus was actually a member of the Choristodera. This is a separate group of diapsid reptiles which means that despite the physical similarity, Champsosaurus was not related to the modern crocodiles that we know today. Out of all the … Read more
In Depth Amurosaurus has been based only upon very partial remains, though these were taken from a bonebed of multiple dinosaurs, and further remains are likely to be in there somewhere. Slowly the picture of a lambeosaurine hadrosaurid (the kind with a hollow crest) has been pieced together with an appearance similar to that of … Read more
In Depth The description of Velafrons is based upon the remains of a juvenile individual. This has allowed for an increased insight into how hadrosaurs developed as they grew up, though the case of Velafrons is a little different. Most hadrosaurs known from juvenile individuals show a proportionately large skull in relation to the body … Read more
In Depth It is a wonderful coincidence that the construction of a dinosaur museum would actually result in the discovery of a new dinosaur, Agilisaurus. In fact the remains of Agilisaurus are now on display in the very same museum, the Zigong Dinosaur Museum. The name Agilisaurus is in reference to its lightweight build and … Read more
In Depth The sauropodomorph dinosaurs are the missing links between earlier theropod dinosaurs, and later sauropod descendants. As a group they show a transition from a predatory carnivorous lifestyle, to an herbivorous one. Buriolestes is a sauropodomoprh dinosaur, yet the teeth and jaw structure are much more like those seen in meat eating theropod dinosaurs. … Read more
In Depth Shastasaurus species and fossil distribution Shastasaurus hit the record books in 2011 with the re-examination of a set of ichthyosaur remains from British Columbia that were initially described as a new species of Shonisaurus back in 2004. Study of the remains has found that while they are similar, the remains are a better … Read more
In Depth The problem with the genus Macrurosaurus is that it is only represented by two sets of caudal vertebrae that were both found separately and then later added together. This combined with the lack of other fossil remains for the genus mean that some palaeontologist consider the genus to be dubious because it would … Read more
In Depth With only the end of the tail missing, Aucasaurus has the most complete single abelisaurid skeleton currently known. This has allowed for more accurate general features which are thought to be common to the group such as the famously underdeveloped arms that are even more puny than those that appear upon Tyrannosaurus, to … Read more
In Depth Kapes was a little parareptile that was once considered to be a synonym to the earlier named Anomoiodon. Later study has no re-affirmed the validity of this genus, and now Kapes is considered to be a very close relative of Anomoiodon. Further Reading - O Rodovom Sostave Rannetriasovykh Prokolofonid Priuralya [On the Genus … Read more