All articles tagged with #jurassic
A 190-million-year-old ichthyosaur skeleton nicknamed the Sword Dragon of Dorset, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, is described as a nearly complete Early Jurassic specimen that sheds new light on marine reptile evolution; its discovery helps pinpoint a major faunal turnover in the Jurassic, reveals a sword-like snout and signs of injury, and will join the Royal Ontario Museum for public display.
A newly studied Jurassic shark Bavariscyllium, about 25 cm long, reveals diverse early shark forms with a whisker-like sensory organ and traits that don’t fit neatly into current shark orders, prompting scientists to rethink how sharks evolved and how fossil teeth influence age estimates.
Reconstructing a detailed Jurassic ecosystem from Dry Mesa Quarry fossils shows that baby sauropods were abundant prey, forming many predator links and feeding carnivores like Allosaurus and Torvosaurus. This plentiful supply may have kept top predators smaller for a time and influenced later evolutionary shifts toward larger hunters such as Tyrannosaurus rex.
New Jurassic fossils, including Baminornis from China and a newly clarified Archaeopteryx specimen, indicate birds were experimenting with flight and diverging earlier than previously thought, with early pygostyles suggesting advanced wing control by the end of the Jurassic and a more global, diversified origin, though the record remains sparse.
Paleontologists in China have discovered a new long-necked dinosaur species, Mamenchisaurus sanjiangensis, from the Late Jurassic period, challenging previous ideas of East Asian dinosaur isolation and highlighting the diversity and adaptation of sauropods in ancient ecosystems.
Researchers in China have identified a new long-necked dinosaur species, Mamenchisaurus sanjiangensis, from the Late Jurassic period, shedding light on the diversity and evolution of sauropods in East Asia and challenging previous notions of geographic isolation during that era.
A 190-million-year-old dinosaur fossil, identified as a new species called Glacialisaurus hammeri, was discovered under Antarctic ice. The fossil, a sauropodomorph, provides insights into early dinosaur evolution and suggests a diverse Jurassic ecosystem in Antarctica, with multiple species coexisting in a cold, seasonal environment.
A remarkably well-preserved fossil of the Jurassic herbivorous dinosaur Pulaosaurus qinglong was discovered with a rare ossified voice box, seeds, and stones in its stomach, providing new insights into its diet, feeding behavior, and potential vocal abilities, suggesting some dinosaurs may have produced complex sounds.
Paleontologists in China have discovered a new species of Mamenchisaurus from the Late Jurassic period, enriching our understanding of sauropod diversity and evolution in East Asia. The find, a partial skeleton from the Chongqing region, provides insights into the paleobiogeography and evolutionary history of early sauropods, highlighting regional differences in dinosaur faunas during the Jurassic.
Scientists discovered Tongnanlong zhimingi, a massive sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period in China, estimated to be up to 92 feet long, enriching our understanding of dinosaur diversity and biogeography during that era.
A new small, fast-running dinosaur species named Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae was discovered in Colorado, helping clarify the diversity of small herbivores in the Jurassic Morrison Formation and highlighting the importance of digitization and detailed taxonomy in paleontology.
A fossil braincase from Utah, originally classified as Diplodocus, has been reclassified as a new genus and species of dicraeosaurid sauropod, named Athenar bermani, dating back to the Late Jurassic period, expanding knowledge of sauropod diversity in North America.
Extensive dinosaur trackways, including nearly 100 footprints from sauropods and Megalosaurs, have been discovered at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire, dating back 171-165 million years, providing new insights into dinosaur movement and behavior in a Jurassic-era landscape.
A new species of Jurassic-era marine reptile, Xiphodracon goldencapsis, was discovered in England, characterized by a long snout and narrow teeth, indicating a diet of soft prey like squid, and is considered one of the most complete fossils from its period.
A 167-million-year-old fossil from Scotland, named Breugnathair elgolensis, exhibits a mix of snake-like and lizard-like features, challenging current understanding of reptile evolution and possibly representing an early ancestor of snakes or an evolutionary oddball, highlighting the complexity of squamate evolution.