In Depth Dongyangopelta is a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that lived in South-east China around the early/late Cretaceous boundary. Nodosaurids were similar to ankylosaurids, though they lacked the clubbed tail and usually had narrower skulls. Another genus of nodosaurid dinosaur named Zhejiangosaurus is also known from this part of China, though there are clear differences … Read more
In Depth Minotaurasaurus was an Asian ankylosaurid dinosaur, presumably of the late Cretaceous. However the skull that makes up the holotype of Minotaurasaurus is more famous for the controversy surrounding it. The skull was purchased from a fossil dealer by Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, who in turn allowed it to be studied by palaeontologists. However at … Read more
In Depth Tatankacephalus is a genus of nodosaur that lived in what is now Montana during the early Cretaceous period. Best known from an incomplete skull, Tatankacephalus has been interpreted as a close relative to the better known nodosaurid dinosaur Gastonia. A different genus of nodosaurid dinosaur from the same location as Tatankacephalus is Sauropelta, … Read more
In Depth As stegosaurs go Chungkingosaurus was towards the smaller end of the scale at four meters long. The hips and humerus (upper arm bone) of Chungkingosaurus seem to be quite primitive when compared to other stegosaurs. The skull is also deep which might be a relict primitive trait, or an adaptation for supporting stronger … Read more
In Depth Gobisaurus is very similar to another earlier named ankylosaur called Shamosaurus, yet there are enough differences in the skull features to be certain that these are separate genera, but ones that seem to be closely related. New analysis of the Ulansuhai Formation has also indicated that Gobisaurus may have lived around the Turonian … Read more
In Depth When Richard Owen first established the Dinosauria, and thus creating the term dinosaur in 1842, Hylaeosaurus was one of the three genera used to establish the group (the others were Megalosaurus and Iguanodon). Several species of Hylaeosaurus have been named over the years, but the only species currently thought to be valid is … Read more
In Depth Ziapelta is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now the USA during the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous. At the time of the genus description Ziapelta is only known from a single partial skull and some osteoderms, the bony plates that grew within the skin as a form … Read more
In Depth Bienosaurus is a genus of armoured dinosaur that lived in China during the early Jurassic. Although only known from fragmentary skull and jaw fossils, Bienosaurus is thought to have been similar to Scelidosaurus. Further Reading - Primitive armored dinosaur from the Lufeng Basin, China, by Z. Dong. In Mesozoic Vertebrate Life, D. H. … Read more
In Depth Tianchisaurus was originally dubbed (but never officially named) Jurassosaurus because in the same year that it was named, the very first Jurassic park film was released. Incidentally, the name Jurassosaurus was suggested by Steven Spielberg who produced and directed the film. Dong rejected the name Jurassosaurus in favour of Tianchisaurus, but kept the … Read more
In Depth Like with many dinosaurs named from English fossils in the nineteenth century, Lexovisaurus has a complex taxonomic history, but it can be broken down like this. Current fossils of Lexovisaurus were originally described in 1887as Omosaurus a genus that had different species. However it was later realised that the name Omosaurus was preoccupied, … Read more