In Depth Superficially, Utahraptor appears to be an earlier, scaled up version of Deinonychus. Specimens of Utahraptor are fragmentary but suggest a potential size of up to seven meters long, with some more conservative estimates falling nearer six meters long. These estimates make Utahraptor a contender for one of the largest known dromaeosaurid dinosaurs, but … Read more
In Depth In modern times Szechuanosaurus is widely regarded as a dubious genus because it has only been described from a collection of isolated teeth. Also, because these teeth do not really have any specifically characteristic features, it is highly unlikely that skeletal remains could be later attributed to these teeth (like what happened with … Read more
In Depth Elaphrosaurus has been something of an enigma for palaeontologists as while it is generally regarded as a ceratosaur, its proportions are similar to some other kinds of theropods. The overall appearance of Elaphrosaurus is that of a lightweight hunter that relied more upon speed rather than strength to take down prey. The tibia … Read more
In Depth Venenosaurus, meaning ‘poison lizard’ acquired its name from being discovered in the Poison Strip Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation, while the type species, V. dicrocei, is in honour of Tony DiCroce, the person who first discovered the remains. Other sauropod dinosaurs from the Cedar Mountain Formation, albeit from different Members, include Abydosaurus, … Read more
In Depth Smaller velociraptorine dromaeosaurs seem to have been one of the most important types of dinosaur in Asia during the Late Cretaceous as evidenced by the ever growing number of remains and genera. Linheraptor was similar in form to most others such as Velociraptor and it may have lived and hunted in pretty much … Read more
In Depth In 2006 the palaeontologists M. Sadiq Malkani described five new genera of titanosaur, Marisaurus, Balochisaurus, Sulaimanisaurus, Khetranisaurus and Pakisaurus, all from caudal vertebrae. From these only Marisaurus and Balochisaurus have had skull remains attributed to them, and only Marisaurus has (partial) rear limb bones attributed to the genus. Marisaurus and Balochisaurus were also … Read more
In Depth Uberabatitan is a genus of titanosaurid sauropod dinosaur that is known from the Marilla Formation of the bauru group of Brazil. Being Maastrichtian in age, Uberabatitan would have been one of the last titanosaurs to live before the KT extinction ended the reign of the dinosaurs. Further Reading - Uberabatitan ribeiroi, a new … Read more
In Depth Tawa is yet another dinosaur genus from the late Triassic of the Ghost Ranch North America, and as you might expect, one quite primitive in form. Tawa were bipedal dinosaurs of the theropod line, noted for having femurs that were proportionately quite long when compared to the lower leg bones. Tawa also had … Read more
In Depth Comahuesaurus was is genus of rebbachisaurid sauropod that lived in South America during the early Cretaceous. As a rebacchiosauird, Comahuesaurus would be related to genera such as Zapalasaurus, Rebbachisaurus and Rayososaurus. Further Reading - A new basal rebbachisaurid (Sauropoda, Diplodocoidea) from the Early Cretaceous of the Neuqu�n Basin; evolution and biogeography of the … Read more
In Depth Beibeilong is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the earlier stages of the late Cretaceous. The genus was described from fossilised embryos and eggs. Adult details including maximum size of Beibeilong are unknown at the time of writing, but the original describers of the genus speculated that when fully … Read more