In Depth Losillasaurus is a member of the Turiasauria, a group sauropods which is named after the genus Turiasaurus. However Turiasaurus was named in 2006 while Losillasaurus was named in 2001, and usually this would actually make Losillasaurus the type genus since it was named earlier. Other sauropod dinosaurs that are closely related to Losillasaurus … Read more
In Depth The sauropod dinosaur Brachiosaurus earned its name from the fact that the arms, or rather the fore legs as it was quadrupedal, are actually longer than the hind legs. The fact that these are longer offers Brachiosaurus a passive advantage in reaching up into the tree canopy to feed as the neck is … Read more
In Depth When initially described, the dinosaur Yaverlandia was thought to be a pachycephalosaur, but a later study in 2008 (Naish & Martill) clarified the genus as representing a theropod dinosaur. Further Reading - A primitive dome-headed dinosaur (Ornithischia: Pachycephalosauridae) from the Lower Cretaceous of England and the function of the dome of pachycephalosaurids. - … Read more
In Depth Huinculsaurus is a genus of elaphrosaurine dinosaur that lived during the early periods of the late Cretaceous in South America. Further Reading - A new abelisauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Huincul formation (lower upper Cretaceous, Neuqu�n Basin) of Patagonia, Argentina. - Cretaceous Research. - Mattia Baiano, Rodolfo Coria & Andrea Cau - 2020.
In Depth Urbacodon is truly an international genus, not so much by its geographic distribution, but because the team involved were from many different countries. The name Urbacodon means ‘URBAC tooth’, and URBAC is an acronym that recognises the Uzbek, Russian, British, American and Canadian nationalities of those involved. Urbacodon was described by a single … Read more
In Depth Leshansaurus was a mid-sized theropod of the late Jurassic of China with jaws that were proportionately longer than most other theropods of the time that also widened slightly. These features might denote a prey specialisation for Leshansaurus, perhaps somehow helping it to deal with the large variety of relatively small stegosaurs of the … Read more
In Depth Choconsaurus is a genus of primitive titanosaurian dinosaur that lived in South America at the start of the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new titanosaur sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia, Neuqu�n Province, Argentina. - Ameghiniana 55(1):1-29. - E. Sim�n, L. Salgado & J. O. Calvo - 2018.
In Depth Noasaurus is the type genus of the noasauridae, a side group of theropod dinosaurs that are thought to have had the same immediate origins as the abelisaurids (such as Abelisaurus and Aucasaurus). Noasaurus however is only known by very partial remains which makes it difficult to ascertain specific details about this dinosaur. At … Read more
In Depth Ubirajara is a genus of compsognathid dinosaur that lived in South America during the early Cretaceous. At the time of its description Ubirajara is unique amongst the compsognathids due to the elaborate feather covering. This is mainly from a bushy mane of hair like proto-feathers that measured up to 11 centimetres long over … Read more
In Depth Nanshiungosaurus was first described from partial remains mostly consisting of vertebrae in 1979. To begin with Nanshiungosaurus was thought to be a titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur, a bit later it was realised to be a therizinosaur. As a therizinosaur, Nanshiungosaurus was a theropod dinosaur that had adapted to a herbivorous diet instead of a … Read more