paleontology8.96 min read
Ancient Chinese Bird Wore Tail Feathers Twice Its Body Length, Hinting at Mating Display
11 hours ago•Source: Sci.News
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France Fossil Pushes Back Pan-Shinisaur Origins to 83 Million Years Ago
Paleontologists describe a new genus and species of pan-shinisaur lizard, Acutodon villeveyracensis, from a 2.8 cm upper jaw found in Villeveyrac, France, dating to about 83 million years ago (Campanian). This is the oldest pan-shinisaur in Europe, pushing the lineage’s European presence back roughly 30 million years and prompting questions about its paleobiogeography. The fossil suggests a predator over 1 meter long, with teeth and jaw features linking it to living crocodile lizards (Shinisauria). The living relative, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, is endangered in China and Vietnam, highlighting the long and precarious history of this group. The study appears in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, online May 20, 2026.
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Ethiopian Fossil Finds Illuminate Human Evolution and Migration
A new reconstruction of the DAN5/P1 cranium from Gona, Ethiopia, reveals a unique combination of early Homo and H. erectus features, suggesting complex population structure and evolution in African Homo during the Early Pleistocene, with implications for understanding the emergence of H. erectus.
New Filter-Feeding Pterosaur Discovered in Santana Group
A new filter-feeding pterosaur species, Bakiribu waridza, has been discovered in the Santana Group of Northeast Brazil, representing the first archaeopterodactyloid from this formation and providing insights into the evolution and paleobiogeography of ctenochasmatids in Gondwana. The specimen, preserved as a regurgitalite, exhibits unique dental features, including dense, elongated, and subquadrangular teeth, and suggests a complex trophic interaction involving likely predation by spinosaurid dinosaurs.
Reevaluation of 'Teenage T. rex' Fossil Reveals a New Dinosaur Species
A fossil previously thought to be a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex has been identified as a different species, Nanotyrannus, which was a fully grown, agile predator with distinct physical features, prompting a re-evaluation of tyrannosaur evolution.
Ancient Skye Fossil Blurs Line Between Lizards and Snakes
A well-preserved early parviraptorid fossil from the Middle Jurassic reveals a mosaic of snake-like and primitive squamate features, challenging simple evolutionary models and highlighting complex morphological evolution during early squamate diversification.
Four-Step Evolutionary Process of Mammalian Jaw Joint Unveiled
The article discusses the convergent evolution of diverse jaw joints in mammaliamorphs, supported by fossil data, digital reconstructions, and phylogenetic analysis, highlighting evolutionary adaptations in mammalian jaw structures.
New Megaraptor Species Discovered in Argentina with Crocodile Remains in Its Mouth
A new Maastrichtian megaraptorid dinosaur from Patagonia, Joaquinraptor casali, provides significant insights into megaraptoran morphology, phylogeny, and paleobiology, representing one of the youngest and most complete specimens of its group, and shedding light on their evolutionary relationships and biology.
Ancient Lizard Fossils Reveal Origins and Evolution of Feeding Adaptations
The article describes the discovery of Agriodontosaurus helsbypetrae, the oldest known lepidosaur, which provides new insights into the early evolution of lepidosaur feeding adaptations, skull morphology, and the timing of key evolutionary events in the Triassic period, including the origin of Rhynchocephalia and Lepidosauria.
Ethiopian Fossils Uncover New Insights into Human Evolution and Ancient Hominins
New hominin fossils from Ledi-Geraru, Ethiopia, dating between 3.0 and 2.5 million years ago, reveal the coexistence of early Homo and Australopithecus, challenging previous notions of hominin evolution and diversity in eastern Africa during this period.
Ancient Tools Reveal Mysterious Human Relatives on Sulawesi
The discovery of in situ stone artifacts at Calio in Sulawesi, dated to at least 1.04 million years ago through palaeomagnetic and US-ESR dating, suggests that hominin presence on Sulawesi may have occurred earlier than previously thought, potentially predating the earliest known occupation on Flores and Luzon.
New Head–Trunk Interface Assembly Discovered in Jawless Vertebrate Relatives
The article presents a novel non-destructive synchrotron imaging study of the fossil Norselaspis glacialis, revealing new insights into the head-trunk interface and circulatory system of early vertebrates, bridging features between jawless and jawed vertebrates, and challenging previous reconstructions of its anatomy.