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
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
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
In Depth Although very little fossil material has been found, Helioceratops has been identified as a basal (or primitive) form of ceratopsian dinosaur. This means that it is unlikely that Helioceratops sported the elaborate frill and horns of the larger quadrupedal ceratopsians that most people know. Although primitive, Helioceratops seems to have had a body … Read more
In Depth Lasasaurus was a genus of procolophonid parareptile (the type genus of the group being Procolophon) that live in Madagascar during the early Triassic. Further Reading - First procolophonid (Reptilia, Parareptilia) from the Lower Triassic of Madagascar - Comptes Rendus Palevol - J. Falconnet, M. Andriamihaja, �. L�ng & J. -S. B. Steyer - … Read more
In Depth Dilophosaurus is a very distinctive dinosaur that is instantly recognisable by the two crests that are on top of its neck. It must be remembered however that Dilophosaurus never had a neck frill or spat venom, as was depicted in the 1993 film Jurassic Park. Those were the creations of artistic licence, not … Read more
In Depth Like Polacanthus, Gastonia was a low browsing armoured dinosaur, but unlike Polacanthus however it is very well preserved. In fact Gastonia is the best preserved member of its group and this has allowed for what are considered more accurate reconstructions of other lesser known species. It’s quite possible that one of the main … Read more
In Depth Steneosaurus is a genus of teleosaurid crocodile that lived during the late Jurassic of Europe. As a genus Steneosaurus once had a great many species attributed to the genus, but over the years this was a result of what is known as the wastebasket taxon effect This is where a genus is based … Read more
In Depth The history of Piveteausaurus is one that is littered with comparisons to other theropod genera. The braincase that is the holotype fossil of Piveteausaurus was first described in 1923 by Jean Piveteau. Fossils of other dinosaurs had been discovered in the same region as this braincase all the way back to 1808 when … Read more
In Depth Nyctiphruretus is a contender for one of the coolest names of any prehistoric animal since the name translates to English as ‘guardian of the night’. Nyctiphruretus was an herbivorous procolophonomorph, that seems to have had a preference for plants that were either aquatic, or growing in wetlands. This is because all of the … Read more