A new genus and species of long-necked herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Triassic period has been identified from fossils found in northern Switzerland. Schleitheimia schutzi (left) and Plateosaurus (right). Image credit: Beat Scheffold. Schleitheimia schutzi lived approximately 210 million years ago (Triassic period) in what is now Switzerland. …
Read More »Hook-Handed Dinosaur
A new species of alvarezsaurid dinosaur that lived approximately 66 million years ago (Cretaceous period) has been unearthed in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana, the United States. This life-size model of Trierarchuncus prairiensis was sculpted by Boban Filipovic, a paleontologist and artist from Serbia, and is on display at …
Read More »Jurassic Park Dinosaur
Famous Jurassic Park Dinosaur Was More Powerful than Previously Thought Dilophosaurus wetherilli was the largest animal known to have lived on land in North America during the Early Jurassic. Despite its charismatic presence in pop culture, major aspects of Dilophosaurus wetherilli’s skeletal anatomy, taxonomy and evolutionary relationships were unknown until …
Read More »Tiny Madagascar Dinosaur
Tiny Dinosaur Relative Roamed Triassic Madagascar A new genus and species of ornithodiran — an early relative of dinosaurs and pterosaurs — that lived around 237 million years ago (Triassic period) has been identified from the fossilized remains found in southwestern Madagascar. Named Kongonaphon kely, the ancient reptile was surprisingly …
Read More »Galeamopus pabsti: New Species of Long-Necked Dinosaur Identified
A new species of sauropod dinosaur that lived about 152 million years ago (Jurassic period) has been identified from fossils found in Wyoming. Galeamopus pabsti in its environment in the Late Jurassic of North America. An Allosaurus and two Ceratosaurus are feeding on a carcass of Galeamopus pabsti. Image credit: …
Read More »Teleocrater rhadinus: Early Dinosaur Relative Had Surprising Crocodile-Like Look
Paleontologists have long wondered what the earliest dinosaur relatives looked like. Most assumed that they would look like dwarf dinosaurs and walk on two legs. The discovery of Teleocrater rhadinus, however, has overturned popular predictions. A reconstruction of Teleocrater rhadinus feasting on a relative of early mammals. Image credit: Mark …
Read More »World’s Most Diverse Collection of Dinosaur Footprints Unveiled
A group of paleontologists from the University of Queensland and James Cook University has documented the most diverse assemblage of dinosaur tracks in the world on the north-western coast of Western Australia. Dinosaur tracks in the Walmadany area, Western Australia. Image credit: Steve Salisbury. At least 48 dinosaurian tracksites were …
Read More »Paleontologists Redraw Dinosaur Family Tree
A team of paleontologists from the University of Cambridge and the Natural History Museum, London, UK, has proposed radical changes to the dinosaur family tree, based on their careful analysis of dozens of fossil skeletons and tens of thousands of anatomical characters. The research by Baron et al provides important …
Read More »Limusaurus: Beaked, Bird-Like Dinosaur Species Had Teeth as Juveniles, Lost Them as They Grew
An international team of paleontologists has discovered that Limusaurus inextricabilis, a species of Jurassic dinosaur, lost its teeth in adolescence and did not grow another set as adults. Limusaurus inextricabilis is the only known reptile to lose its teeth and form a beak after birth. Image credit: Yu Chen. Limusaurus …
Read More »Rativates evadens: New Ostrich-Mimic Dinosaur Species Identified
An international team of paleontologists, led by Carleton University researcher Bradley McFeeters, has added another ornithomimid dinosaur to the prehistoric catalog, and this one was found in the Canadian province of Alberta. An artistic life reconstruction of Rativates evadens in the paleoenvironment of the Late Cretaceous of Alberta. Image credit: …
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