In Depth Initially considered to be a Southern population of Massospondylus, Adeopapposaurus was established as an independent genus in 2009. Adeopapposaurus is an unusual sauropodomorph since it appears to have had a keratinous beak to its mouth. If correct, then this may have been a feeding specialisation for snipping off foliage from plants. Further Reading … Read more
In Depth With its incredibly long neck Omeisaurus is both a relative and possible comtempory to the more famous Mamenchisaurus. However previous Upper Shaximiao Formation fossils of Omeisaurus are now considered indeterminate. If Omeisaurus really does only exist in Lower Shaximiao deposits, then it may confirm that Mamenchisaurus replaced Omeisaurus since the former is only … Read more
In Depth Xingtianosaurus is a genus of caudipterid dinosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new caudipterid from the Lower Cretaceous of China with information on the evolution of the manus of Oviraptorosauria. - Scientific Reports. 9: Article number 6431. - Rui Qiu, Xiaolin Wang, Qiang Wang; Ning Li, … Read more
In Depth Epichirostenotes was originally discovered in 1923 before being described in 1997 as a specimen of Chirostenotes pergracilis by Hans-Dieter Sues. Further study and description in 2011 saw this specimen described as its own genus. The type species E. curriei is in honour of the palaeontologist Philip Currie. Although only known from incomplete material, … Read more
In Depth The large number of well-preserved Shunosaurus individuals that have been recovered has revealed much about Shunosaurus making it perhaps the most complete sauropod genus known. This material has also allowed palaeontologist to confirm as well as speculate upon new theories for other sauropods that are not as well represented as Shunosaurus. However, despite … Read more
In Depth Dicraeosaurus was relatively small by sauropod standards, but was still a bit larger than Amargasaurus, so far the only other known member of its group. Dicraeosaurus sported a double row of spines down its back that are similar to those seen on the back of Amargasaurus. We cannot be certain what these spike … Read more
In Depth Originally thought to be a juvenile of a species of Megalosaurus, Nuthetes was later established as a distinct genus. Today Nuthetes is thought to represent a possible dromaeosaurid dinosaur, but the key word here is ‘possible’. So far Nuthetes is only known from teeth and a fragment of jawbone, making such things as … Read more
In Depth There is not a lot of information about Sarcosaurus due to the relatively incomplete remains from only the pelvic region of the body. This makes it impossible to ascertain the form and structure of other body parts such as the head, hands and feet, something that makes exact classification of this dinosaur near … Read more
In Depth The Introduction of Megalosaurus to Science Megalosaurus was the dinosaur that started a great many things including the science of palaeontology, the debate about if dinosaurs should be called names that end with ‘saurus’ because they are not ‘lizards’, to lifetimes of fascination about the creatures that once walked the Earth when we … Read more
In Depth When Ornithopsis was named by Harry Govier Seeley in 1870, Seeley noted the pneumaticised vertebrae and considered Ornithopsis to represent a link between pterosaurs and birds. Richard Owen however said that he was wrong, the vertebra actually represented a kind of large marine reptile, though one that probably had a well-developed respiratory system. … Read more