Gasparinisaura

In Depth        Because to fossils were discovered in close proximity to one another it’s thought that Gasparinisaura lived in herds. It is one of the few dinosaurs of its kind known from South America. Gasparinisaura is named in honour of the Argentine paleontologist, Dr Zulma B. de Gasparini. Further Reading – A basal iguanodontian (Ornithischia: … Read more

Unescoceratops

In Depth        Initially shelved for not being diagnostic enough,‭ ‬Unescoceratops was finally named in‭ ‬2012.‭ ‬The name is derived from UNESCO,‭ ‬the United Nations Educational,‭ ‬Scientific and Cultural Organization.‭ ‬Unescoceratops is particularly noted for having some of the roundest teeth of all known leptoceratopsian dinosaurs.‭ ‬The paper that described Unescoceratops also including the description of … Read more

Diplocynodon

In Depth        With a temporal range that spans from the late Cretaceous to the mid Miocene,‭ ‬Diplocynodon is yet further proof of how perfect the crocodile form is for survival.‭ ‬Represented by several species,‭ ‬the Diplocynodon genus has one of the longest known temporal ranges for a specific crocodile genus,‭ ‬and seems to have been … Read more

Craspedodon

In Depth        Craspedodon is‭ ‬what is known as a tooth taxon in that the entire genus has been described upon the basis of only a‭ ‬few teeth.‭ ‬When first described by Louis Dollo in‭ ‬1883,‭ ‬he noted that the teeth were similar to those of Iguanodon,‭ ‬and so for well over a hundred years Craspedodon … Read more

Bothriospondylus

In Depth        Bothriospondylus has had a long taxonomic history as a sauropod dinosaur yet today the genus is regarded as dubious.‭ ‬This is because the type material of Bothriospondylus,‭ ‬really just a few vertebrae,‭ ‬has been so badly eroded that it is impossible to identify any unique features for the genus.‭ ‬This makes it impossible … Read more

Chelosphargis

In Depth        Chelosphargis was originally named as species of Protostega in‭ ‬1906‭ ‬by Oliver Perry Hay.‭ ‬However the description of Calcarichelys in‭ ‬1953‭ ‬led a later palaeontologist,‭ ‬Rainer Zangerl to conclude that P.‭ ‬advena should be reclassified as a distinct genus.‭ ‬Chelosphargis is regarded as being almost identical to Calcarichelys,‭ ‬a turtle with a series … Read more

Stenonychosaurus

In Depth Classification and controversy of validity.        Stenonychosaurus is a genus of troodontid dinosaur that spent much of its time depicted as a synonym to Troodon.‭ ‬Stenonychosaurus itself was first named in‭ ‬1932‭ ‬and for much of the twentieth century it was occasionally depicted as a small predatory dinosaur.‭ ‬Stenonychosaurus would also become the inspiration … Read more

Siamotyrannus

In Depth        First named in‭ ‬1996,‭ ‬Siamotyrannus was originally thought to represent‭ ‬one of the earliest known occurrences of a‭ ‬large tyrannosaur,‭ ‬hence the name Siamotyrannus which combines the old name for Thailand,‭ ‬Siam,‭ ‬with the ancient Greek for tyrant.‭ ‬However later studies of‭ ‬Siamotyrannus have come to the conclusion that Siamotyrannus was not a … Read more

Tochisaurus

In Depth        Not too much can be said about Tochisaurus because so far it is only known from a couple of foot bones,‭ ‬However these bones do seem to be most similar to those seen in troodontid dinosaurs.‭ ‬Additionally with lengths of‭‭ ‬about twenty-four and twenty-two centimetres long,‭ ‬the foot bones of Tochisaurus do indicate … Read more

Bonapartenykus

In Depth        Patagonia is a hot bed for dinosaur fossils,‭ ‬although it‭’‬s usually the dramatic giants such as Giganotosaurus and Argentinosaurus that that take the spotlight.‭ ‬Bonapartenykus was much smaller than these two dinosaurs,‭ ‬however for the purposes of palaeontology and understanding of Mesozoic Patagonia it is at least just as important.‭ ‬First is the … Read more