In Depth A little known creature, Acteosaurus has been speculated to be a marine reptile, similar to the mosasauroids. Acteosaurus was named after Actaeon, a hunter in Greek Mythology. Further Reading – On the Subdivisions of the Inferior Oolite in the South of England, compared with the Equivalent Beds of that Formation on the Yorkshire … Read more
In Depth For one hundred and forty years Amphicoelias was regarded by some to have been one of the largest dinosaurs to ever walk the earth. First named in 1878 by Edward Drinker Cope, and based upon some truly large fossils of vertebrae and partial limbs and pubis bones. Three species were named, A. altus, … Read more
In Depth Archeopelta was a quadrupedal low slung reptile with a build similar to that of a crocodile. Archeopelta also would have had armoured scutes protecting its body in a similar manner to a crocodile. A predator of smaller animals, the armour may have protected them from rauisuchians and the early ancestors of the … Read more
In Depth When it comes to naming prehistoric animals, the names can be confusing, but Apatomerus, which means ‘deceptive femur’ was spot on. Initially thought to a thigh of a crocodile, Williston later declared it to be a pterosaur bone. Later study has now deduced that it is probably not a pterosaur bone and is … Read more
In Depth Aymberedactylus is a genus of tapejarid pterosaur that lived in what is now Brazil during the early Cretaceous. At the time of the genus description the only fossils of Aymberedactylus are the lower jaws. These however seem to indicate that Aymberedactylus is one of the most primitive tapejarid pterosaurs known to us. Further … Read more
In Depth Named after the Atacama Desert, Atacamatitan was a genus of titanosaur sauropod that lived in what is now Chile during the late Cretaceous. More precise details about the genus however remain hard to establish, due to the fact that the remains of Atacamatitan are very incomplete. Further Reading - A new titanosaur sauropod … Read more
In Depth Afrotapejara is a genus of pterosaur that lived in North Africa at the time of the Early/Late Cretaceous boundary. Further Reading - A new ?chaoyangopterid (Pterosauria: Pterodactyloidea) from the Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Southern Morocco. - Cretaceous Research. 110: Article 104410. - James McPhee, Nizar Ibrahim, Alex Kao, David M. Unwin, Roy … Read more
In Depth Axestemys is a genus of soft shelled turtle that lived from the Late Cretaceous to at least the Eocene, and is known from both North America and Europe. Instead of a hard shell, Axestemys would have had a tough leathery skin surrounding its body. Modern day soft shelled turtles can be omnivorous, meaning … Read more
In Depth Though only known from a few fragmentary fossils, Allkaruen has already proven itself to be a very interesting pterosaur genus. Allkaruen is regarded as being intermediate in form between the more primitive rhamphorhynchid pterosaurs, and the more advanced pterodactyloid pterosaurs. Allkaruen also shows us that only certain parts of the body would change … Read more
In Depth The holotype remains of Asylosaurus were originally attributed to the genus Thecodontosaurus, but a review by Peter Galton saw these remains established as a new genus. The genus names means ‘unharmed/sanctuary lizard’ and this is a reference as to how this set of remains were shipped from England to the United States by … Read more