In Depth The most noteworthy feature of Coelurosauravus are the dermal ossicles, creating thin strands of bone that extended from the flanks and supported a gliding wing. This may have provided a limited flight capability over short distances by jumping from a high point and steering itself by twisting towards a lower spot as it … Read more
In Depth Although known from very well preserved remains, there is still quite a bit of mystery surrounding Limusaurus. Study of the bones has revealed that it is a member of the Ceratosauria (the first one known from Asia), a group of theropods defined by the type genus Ceratosaurus. However the one specimen where the … Read more
In Depth Qiaowanlong was first thought to be an Asian representative of the world famous Brachiosaurus, but has since been found to be similar to other Asian sauropods like Euhelopus. Further Reading – The first well-preserved Early Cretaceous brachiosaurid dinosaur in Asia. – Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. – H.-L. You & … Read more
In Depth At the time of the genus being named, Orovenator is the oldest neodiapsid reptile known to science. The neodiapsids are the ancestral reptile group which includes most modern reptile forms. Further Reading - A new Early Permian reptile and its significance in early diapsid evolution. - Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278 … Read more
In Depth The holotype fossils of Kayentavenator were originally described as Syntarsus kayentakatae until later study declared them to represent a distinct genus of theropods (additionally Syntarsus has now been declared a synonym of Megapnosaurus). Not a lot can be said for Kayentavenator because the skeletal remains are incomplete and of a juvenile dinosaur; combined … Read more
In Depth Although so far only known from partial remains, Qiupalong has been identified as a distinct ornithomimid genus on the basis of differences in the tibia from other known genera of this group. Further analysis has led the team that described Qiupalong to consider it to be similar to Struthiomimus altus and Ornithomimus edmontonicus, … Read more
In Depth A not very well known genus of mosasaur, Ectenosaurus has still helped us to confirm that older ideas about how mosasaurs swam are simply wrong. Over a hundred years ago mosasaurs were thought to have been close relatives of snakes (again an idea that is now seen as wrong), and like them the … Read more
In Depth Riojasaurus was and still often is credited as being related to Melanorosaurus, though detailed study of the two genera does turn up some key differences. These two genera are both significant in the development of the sauropodomorphs into the large sauropods common by the late Jurassic in that they are both large and … Read more
In Depth Kentisuchus is a genus of crocodile known to have lived around Europe during the Eocene. Further Reading - Two new genera of Eocene crocodilians. - American Museum Novitates 1727:1-4. - C. C. Mook - 1955. - A new basal tomistomine (Crocodylia, Crocodyloidea) from Issel (Middle Eocene; France): palaeobiogeography of basal tomistomines and palaeogeographic … Read more
In Depth Kaikaifilu is certainly an interesting genus of mosasaur. First it was one of the larger mosasaurs known to have been hunting in the waters of the Southern hemisphere. Also, the teeth of Kaikaifilu were heterodont, meaning that there were different forms of teeth within the mouth. This makes Kaikaifilu to be the only … Read more