All articles tagged with #cretaceous
Scientists examining a Polycotylus fossil in Alabama found an 80-million-year-old Xiphactinus tooth embedded in its neck, revealed by CT scans and 3D modeling; the bite appears to be a direct strike, not a feeding trace, showing a deadly predator clash in the Western Interior Seaway and challenging simple ideas about top predators.
Tiny micro-fossil eggs from the Korean Cretaceous, Onggwanoolithus aphaedoensis, offer the first direct evidence of bird eggs in Korea and reveal eggshell structure that bridges reptilian and avian forms, shedding light on early reproduction and nesting among ancient birds.
South Korean researchers have identified Doolysaurus huhmini, a juvenile dinosaur fossil found on Aphae Island, offering rare skull remains and clues about Cretaceous life, including a likely omnivorous diet evidenced by gastroliths, with micro-CT imaging revealing detailed anatomy; the name honors the popular cartoon character Dooly.
In northwestern China, researchers uncovered more than 200 fossilized eggs from the flying reptile Hamipterus tianshanensis in a single sandstone block, including at least 16 embryos preserved in three dimensions. Dated to about 120 million years ago in the early Cretaceous, the find provides one of the largest pterosaur egg collections and suggests rapid burial by floodwaters aided preservation. CT scans indicate that some embryos lacked fully developed wing structures while the femur was well developed, implying hatchlings might have been flightless; however, researchers caution against over-interpretation. The discovery greatly expands sample size for studying egg and embryo variation and the origins of flight in pterosaurs.
Researchers in northeastern Algeria found the country’s first plesiosaur fossil at Djebel Essen in the Upper Coniacian Essen Formation during 2025 fieldwork, a discovery that fills a gap in North Africa’s marine reptile record and sheds new light on Cretaceous marine ecosystems; the specimen is identified as Elasmosauridae indet., highlighting plesiosaur distribution in ancient North African seas.
A significant fossil discovery of a Tenontosaurus in West Texas has expanded the known range of this herbivorous dinosaur during the Early Cretaceous, providing new insights into dinosaur distribution, ecosystems, and environmental adaptation in North America.
A rare fossil discovery in West Texas has extended the known range of the herbivorous dinosaur Tenontosaurus, dating back about 115 million years, and filling a significant gap in the early Cretaceous dinosaur record in North America, highlighting the importance of careful fieldwork and geological mapping.
Scientists reexamined 1916 fossils from New Mexico and identified a new species of giant duck-billed dinosaur, Ahshislesaurus wimani, which lived about 75 million years ago and could reach 40 feet in length, revealing greater diversity among hadrosaurids during the late Cretaceous period.
A 68-million-year-old soft-shelled fossil egg, nicknamed 'The Thing', was discovered in Antarctica, revealing that large marine reptiles like mosasaurs laid eggs in water, challenging previous beliefs that they gave birth to live young. The egg's size and structure suggest a reproductive strategy involving soft shells and quick hatching, with the fossil providing insights into ancient marine life and reproductive behaviors near the poles.
A 68-million-year-old soft-shelled fossil egg, nicknamed 'The Thing,' was discovered in Antarctica, revealing that large marine reptiles like mosasaurs laid eggs in water, challenging previous beliefs that such reptiles gave birth to live young. The egg, the largest soft-shelled egg found, suggests a reproductive strategy involving quick hatching in sheltered waters, and its preservation provides insights into ancient life near the poles.
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.
Researchers have confirmed that Nanotyrannus is a distinct, fully grown species of tyrannosaur, not a juvenile T. rex, revealing a more diverse and competitive predator ecosystem at the end of the Cretaceous and reshaping our understanding of dinosaur evolution.
A recent study provides evidence that Nanotyrannus is a distinct genus from Tyrannosaurus, with two species coexisting in North America during the late Cretaceous, challenging previous assumptions about tyrannosaur ontogeny and diversity.
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.
Scientists discovered the world's oldest salmon fossil in Arctic Alaska, dating back 73 million years, revealing that ancient salmonids thrived during the Cretaceous period and suggesting their origins in northern high-latitude regions.