Tenontosaurus

tenontosaurus

In Depth        Perhaps the most striking feature of Tenontosaurus is the tail which actually takes up more than half the total body length.‭ ‬This tail was supported by a network of strong tendons which ensured it was always carried erect off the ground.‭ ‬It is in reference to these tendons that Tenontosaurus was given its … Read more

Homalocephale

In Depth        Homalocephale possessed broad hips,‭ ‬which has led to two theories about its lifestyle.‭ ‬One is that the wide pelvis was a sign that Homalocephale gave birth to live young,‭ ‬the extra space between the hips allowing for gestation of the foetus.‭ ‬However such an idea without further proof is considered purely speculation.‭ ‬The … Read more

Temnodontosaurus

temnodontosaurus

In Depth        Temnodontosaurus is one of the oldest and largest ichthyosaurs known to science,‭ ‬and while there are a few species associated with the genus,‭ ‬the most obvious differences between these are the size and proportions of the jaws.‭ ‬Temnodontosaurus fossils have been so well preserved that they reveal stomach contents of ammonites and cephalopods … Read more

Labidosaurus

In Depth        Labidosaurus is a genus of captorhinid reptile that lived in the USA in the last half of the early Permian.‭ ‬The upper jaw of Labidosaurus had a pronounced downwards hook that would have fitted around the end of the lower jaw,‭ ‬and unlike previously known captorhinids had a single row of conical teeth.‭ … Read more

Dianchungosaurus

In Depth        When first described in‭ ‬1982‭ ‬Dianchungosaurus was thought to represent a small Jurassic dinosaur,‭ ‬and until the early years of the twenty-first century was listed as a heterodontosaurid dinosaur.‭ ‬In‭ ‬2005‭ ‬however a study by Barret and Xu discovered that the original description of Dianchungosaurus was actually based upon a fossil chimera,‭ ‬described … Read more

Zapalasaurus

In Depth        Zapalasaurus is another example of an early cretaceous era diplodocoid sauropod,‭ ‬a find significant in itself since many diplodocid genera are dated to the Late Jurassic.‭ ‬Further to its inclusion within the Diplodocoidea,‭ ‬Zapalasaurus has been included as a member of the Rebbachisauridae,‭ ‬a sub group of the Diplodocoidea that includes other Cretaceous … Read more

Pandoravenator

In Depth        Pandoravenator is a genus of predatory dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Jurassic. Further Reading -‭ ‬A theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Ca�ad�n Calc�reo Formation of central Patagonia,‭ ‬and the evolution of the theropod tarsus.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Ameghiniana‭ ‬54:506-538.‭ ‬-‭ ‬O.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Rauhut‭ & ‬D.‭ ‬Pol‭ ‬-‭ ‬2017.

Brachyceratops

In Depth        Brachyceratops is regarded as a highly dubious genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that may represent the juvenile form of another already named genus,‭ ‬and indeed one specimen of Brachyceratops (‬USNM‭ ‬14765,‭ ‬a sub adult referred to the original five juveniles‭) ‬has already been moved to the Rubeosaurus genus.‭ ‬This would normally raise speculation that … Read more

Dyoplosaurus

In Depth        When this genus was first discovered,‭ ‬only the posterior portion of an individual ankylosaur remained to be studied.‭ ‬It is thought the anterior half had been previously exposed by erosion and was now lost,‭ ‬though part of the skull and teeth were found.‭ ‬The rear half of the dinosaur,‭ ‬including the tail and … Read more

Carniadactylus

In Depth        Carniadactylus was born out of the realisation that a pterosaur specimen that was attributed to Eudimorphodon actually represented a different genus. Aside from being smaller than Eudimorphodon, one of the main areas of difference is the proportionately longer legs of Carniadactylus. Since it has now been placed within the campylognathoididae, Carniadactylus is considered … Read more