paleontology8.64 min read
France Fossil Pushes Back Pan-Shinisaur Origins to 83 Million Years Ago
5 days ago•Source: Sci.News
Paleontology News
The latest paleontology stories, summarized by AI
Featured Paleontology Stories
View original source
8.64 min•6 days ago
New 43-Foot Mosasaur, Tylosaurus rex, Rewrites Sea Predator History
Paleontologists describe a gigantic new mosasaur, Tylosaurus rex, up to 43 feet long with serrated teeth, discovered mainly in Texas. Larger than the previously known Tylosaurus proriger, it indicates a formidable open-water predator in North America’s Western Interior Seaway, with several famous museum specimens reclassified under the new species and findings published in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History.
More Top Stories
2
3
Ethiopian Fossil Finds Illuminate Human Evolution and Migration
Nature•5 months ago
More Paleontology Stories
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.
Hiker Uncovers Pre-Dinosaur Ecosystem in Italian Alps
A hiker in the Italian Alps discovered a 280-million-year-old ecosystem, revealing fossilized tracks of prehistoric reptiles, insects, and amphibians from the Permian era. The site, known as "Rock Zero," has provided a wealth of fossils, including plant fragments and raindrop imprints, preserved in fine-grained sediments. This discovery, exposed by melting ice due to rising temperatures, serves as a reminder of the Permian period's rapid global warming and subsequent mass extinction.