The Paleontology Thread

[GodzillaFan1990's]

http://www.ctys.com.ar/index.php?idPage ... iculo=3738

Evidence of what appears to be further evolution on the ancestors of pterosaurs'.

[Desghidorah]

It seems archosaur diversification in the Triassic was much quicker than many might have expected. At this point with how prevalent endothermic metabolism no doubt was, and how bird feathers (and presumably pterosaur pycnofibres) are genetically homologous to crocodilian scutes; I won't be shocked at all if we find out fuzzy bodies were right at the base of the archosaur family tree. Plenty of Triassic crocodilian relation were just as active as plenty of dinosaurs and could be both small and large; so it doesn't seem like there's much stopping it.



I actually work in a museum and would be all too happy to post some pictures of my work place. I'm an educator at the Museum of Dinosaurs and Ancient Cultures so I have plenty of time to photograph the exhibits. Here is the Cretaceous hall with our Giganotosaurus skeleton cast.

Also
https://twitter.com/tarbtano/status/1315726823565783040

Here is a size comparison of a Haast's Eagle's foot with a Velociraptor skull cast.

[SoggyNoodles2016]

Introducing Ubirajara! A compsognathid from Aptian Brazil with one very notable feature: long spear like display structures on it's back similar to some Birds of Paradise.

[Gigantis]

Introducing Ubirajara! A compsognathid from Aptian Brazil with one very notable feature: long spear like display structures on it's back similar to some Birds of Paradise.

Just as display? You sure they didn't use it as a stabbing device?

[SoggyNoodles2016]

Introducing Ubirajara! A compsognathid from Aptian Brazil with one very notable feature: long spear like display structures on it's back similar to some Birds of Paradise.

Just as display? You sure they didn't use it as a stabbing device?

...I mean, not only are they likely not built strong enough for that (they're made of keratin and are extremely thin) but what reason would you put a stabbing device on your back?

[Desghidorah]

Just as display? You sure they didn't use it as a stabbing device?

...I mean, not only are they likely not built strong enough for that (they're made of keratin and are extremely thin) but what reason would you put a stabbing device on your back?

While I do think it's display mostly, there are some examples in nature of dorsum stabbing structures. Notice how most antelope have rear facing horns? While these are chiefly used for display as well as competitions between themselves, they do help to try and stab at their primary predators, large felines; which tend to try and get on their back.

[SoggyNoodles2016]

Just as display? You sure they didn't use it as a stabbing device?

...I mean, not only are they likely not built strong enough for that (they're made of keratin and are extremely thin) but what reason would you put a stabbing device on your back?

While I do think it's display mostly, there are some examples in nature of dorsum stabbing structures. Notice how most antelope have rear facing horns? While these are chiefly used for display as well as competitions between themselves, they do help to try and stab at their primary predators, large felines; which tend to try and get on their back.

Yeah, that occurred to me but again, they seem much more like advanced display feathers in structure then any kind of horn. At best, I'd assume maybe it could be used to make it look bigger and intimidate the odd pterosaur

[master_of_monsters]

...I mean, not only are they likely not built strong enough for that (they're made of keratin and are extremely thin) but what reason would you put a stabbing device on your back?

While I do think it's display mostly, there are some examples in nature of dorsum stabbing structures. Notice how most antelope have rear facing horns? While these are chiefly used for display as well as competitions between themselves, they do help to try and stab at their primary predators, large felines; which tend to try and get on their back.

Yeah, that occurred to me but again, they seem much more like advanced display feathers in structure then any kind of horn. At best, I'd assume maybe it could be used to make it look bigger and intimidate the odd pterosaur

I'm imagining that httyd meme with that context

[Gomi: Ninja Monster]

...I mean, not only are they likely not built strong enough for that (they're made of keratin and are extremely thin) but what reason would you put a stabbing device on your back?

While I do think it's display mostly, there are some examples in nature of dorsum stabbing structures. Notice how most antelope have rear facing horns? While these are chiefly used for display as well as competitions between themselves, they do help to try and stab at their primary predators, large felines; which tend to try and get on their back.

Yeah, that occurred to me but again, they seem much more like advanced display feathers in structure then any kind of horn. At best, I'd assume maybe it could be used to make it look bigger and intimidate the odd pterosaur

I haven't seen the paper or really stared at the fossils yet, but supposing these pokers did have some sort of defensive function, would porcupine quills or poison-tipped spines be a possibility? Maybe the things could have been detachable and/or had a channel to draw poison from a gland at the shoulders down to the tips when at rest, to be raised when in danger.

Presuming they weren't defensive, that theoretical channel could instead serve as a wick for scent glands, like a living aroma diffuser stick it could wave around to attract mates.

[SoggyNoodles2016]

I still think this is a Psittacosaurus situation. These all seem like plausible uses but based on how sparse they are and the make up says its just display.

In more depressing news, this species is now part of a controversy. The German scientists who named and studied the fossil reportedly illegally smuggled it out of Brazil, and have acted disparingly about actually studying it side by side with the Brazilian authorities. So, still cool but definitely a little less interesting now

[tbeasley]

Some great old school dino art among others by Frank Frazetta here.

[Cryptid_Liker]

They're so... lumpy

[Gojira2001]

Have there been any studies done to the Monster? I remember finding it sourced at the Internet many years, but I just can't find any studies done, especially about it's size

All that I really know is that the fossils that were thought to belong to a large Liopleurodon were this thing all along, but I don't know if any studies are publicly available.

Adam Smith ('Dr. Admin,' as we at The Dinosaur Toy Forums refer to him) has a page on his website about the Aramberri pliosaur. He has given it an estimated length of 15-18 meters. Not too much you can find about the Monster of Aramberri, but Dr. Admin is THE plesiosaur paleontologist so his website is legit.

https://plesiosauria.com/mines-bigger-t ... the-media/

McHenry puts the animal at about 11.7 meters and 15 tons. Here’s another accurate measurement. https://www.deviantart.com/randomdinos/ ... -630335385

[master_of_monsters]

^
^ always nice to see. big fan of Charles knight as well

[NSZ]

Dire Wolves no longer considered a member of the genus Canis!

https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti ... es-reveal/

[Manuelito Canelito]

Dire Wolves no longer considered a member of the genus Canis!

https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti ... es-reveal/

This is big

This basically will rewrite not only their entire life story, but also the cause of their extinction and how they interacted with modern wolves (which may have been the third factor alongside humans and the climate to take them out?)

[SoggyNoodles2016]

a new study on Shonisaurus has discovered the massive icthyosaur had large short teeth instead of the thin toothed/toothless jaws that had been assumed for decades. This suggests instead of pseudo-whales, they were actually opportunistic predators of ammonites and other marine reptiles, closer to mosasaurs or crocodiles

[Gigantis]

Huh. Well can't say i was expecting to learn about a new icthyosaur today.

[LegendZilla]

Anyone think it's possible that one day they'll find mummified remains of a ground sloth, or any other extinct native South American creature frozen in a Andean glacier?

[Shoopwoop17]

Anyone think it's possible that one day they'll find mummified remains of a ground sloth, or any other extinct native South American creature frozen in a Andean glacier?

It's certainly possible. They only went extinct around 10,500 years ago. That said, there is significantly less of their range with ice still present, unlike mammoths. So we'd have to be really lucky.