Ichthyosaurus was a genus of extinct marine reptiles that lived during the Early Jurassic. Its streamlined body, elongated jaws, large eyes, paired flippers, and tail were adapted to aquatic locomotion. Fossils from southern England have played a central role in ichthyosaur research, and later discoveries have established a wider geographic distribution. Despite its fish-like shape, … Read more
Elasmosaurus is a genus of long-necked marine reptiles belonging to Plesiosauria and the family Elasmosauridae. Its best-known and type species, Elasmosaurus platyurus, was named by Edward Drinker Cope in 1868 from an incomplete skeleton discovered in Cretaceous marine deposits in Kansas, United States. The type specimen preserves parts of the skull, a substantial vertebral series, … Read more
Tylosaurus was a genus of large predatory marine reptiles that lived during the Late Cretaceous. Belonging to Mosasauridae, a group of aquatic squamates related to modern lizards and snakes, these animals occupied marine environments and possessed elongated bodies, paddle-like limbs, powerful tails, and distinctive toothless extensions at the tips of their jaws. They were not … Read more
Rhamphorhynchus was a long-tailed pterosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic. Its best-known fossils come from the Solnhofen region of Bavaria, Germany, particularly rocks of Tithonian age. Its elongated jaws, narrow wings, long bony tail, and terminal tail vane distinguish it from many other pterosaurs. Dental microwear supports fish-eating as an important part of its … Read more
At a Glance Field Information Scientific name †Pteranodon Rank Genus Major group Pterosauria Major subgroup Pterodactyloidea Pteranodontid placement Pteranodontidae Geological occurrence Late Cretaceous Principal fossil region Western Interior of North America Important fossil deposits Niobrara Formation and related Upper Cretaceous deposits Environment Marine-associated deposits of the Western Interior Seaway system Flight Strong anatomical and biomechanical … Read more
Quick Info Field Information Scientific name Protoceratops Taxonomic rank Genus Classification Dinosauria; Ornithischia; Ceratopsia; Protoceratopsidae Geological age Late Cretaceous; principal records are Campanian Principal fossil region Gobi region of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China Principal formations Djadokhta Formation for P. andrewsi; Wulansuhai Formation for material assigned to P. hellenikorhinus Diet Herbivorous, supported by jaw and … Read more
Styracosaurus was a Late Cretaceous centrosaurine ceratopsid known primarily from the upper Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada. Its most distinctive features were a large nasal horn and a broad neck frill bearing prominent parietal spikes. The type species is Styracosaurus albertensis, named by Lawrence M. Lambe in 1913. At a Glance Feature Information Scientific … Read more
Quick Answer Camarasaurus was a large, robust, four-legged herbivorous sauropod dinosaur of the Late Jurassic. It is especially well represented in the Morrison Formation of western North America, where fossils occur at more than 100 localities and include isolated bones, partial skeletons, and exceptionally complete articulated specimens. Its broad, relatively deep skull and large spoon- … Read more
Quick Answer Brontosaurus excelsus was a long-necked, four-legged diplodocoid sauropod that lived during the Late Jurassic and is known from the Morrison Formation of western North America. Its substantial skeletal record supports strong anatomical treatment. The species was historically classified as Apatosaurus excelsus, but specimen-level phylogenetic work published in 2015 supported recognizing Brontosaurus as a … Read more
Feature Information Scientific name Apatosaurus ajax Marsh, 1877 Dinosaur group Sauropoda; Diplodocidae Geological interval Late Jurassic Principal formation Morrison Formation Type locality Lakes Quarry 10, Morrison, Gunnison County, Colorado, USA Type specimen YPM 1860 Locomotion Quadrupedal Diet Herbivorous Geographic context Western North America Apatosaurus ajax Marsh, 1877 is the type species of Apatosaurus. Its holotype, … Read more