Paleontology News

Apr 27, 2022 by News Staff

Since the 1960s, many scientists have argued that the emergence of eukaryotes — cells containing a clearly defined nucleus — happened in response to the oxygenation of Earth’s surface environment. But new research led by Stanford University and University of Exeter scientists suggests eukaryotes in fact emerged in an anoxic environment in the ocean. Asgard archaeon. Scale bar – 500 nm. Image credit: Imachi et al., doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1916-6. “We...

Apr 20, 2022 by News Staff

Paleontologists have examined the fossilized headcrest of Tupandactylus imperator, a species of tapejarid pterosaur that lived in north-eastern Brazil...

Apr 14, 2022 by News Staff

In 2017, paleontologists found 3.75- to 4.28-billion-year-old microscopic filaments and tubes, which appeared to have been made by iron-loving bacteria,...

Apr 13, 2022 by The Conversation

The top predator of the Jurassic and Cretaceous landscapes was usually a species of carnivorous dinosaur. These predators walked on two legs, had powerful...

Apr 11, 2022 by News Staff

New research confirms the existence of intraspecific fighting in Triceratops horridus, a species of horned dinosaur that lived in North America some 69...

Mar 28, 2022 by News Staff

New research led by Australian Museum paleontologists shows that monotremes are the last survivors of a diverse set of fossil species that once roamed...

Mar 28, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

The newly-identified species of extinct diving duck is the fourth species in the genus Manuherikia. An artist’s impression of a Manuherikia duck. Image...

Mar 24, 2022 by News Staff

By analyzing the density of bones of several spinosaurid dinosaurs and comparing them to other animals like penguins, hippos, and alligators, Field Museum...

Mar 17, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

A new genus and species of thyreophoran dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic epoch has been identified from a partial skeleton with cranial and...

Mar 16, 2022 by News Staff

Paleontologists have discovered the fossilized remains of a bobcat-sized creature from a extinct lineage of carnivorous placental mammals. Life reconstruction...

Mar 14, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

Paleontologists have identified a new species of softshell turtle from a partial carapace found in North Dakota, the United States. Hutchemys walkerorum....

Mar 9, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

A new genus and species of vampyropod cephalopod — named Syllipsimopodi bideni after President Joseph Biden — has been identified from an exceptionally...

Mar 8, 2022 by News Staff

Otodus megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived on Earth, most certainly reached at least 15 m (50 feet) in total length based on its gigantic teeth....

Mar 5, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

Bashanosaurus primitivus is the earliest record of Stegosauria in Asia and represents one of the earliest records of this dinosaur group from anywhere...

Mar 4, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

Paleontologists have identified a new species of tuatara-like sphenodontian reptile from dozens of fossilized specimens found in Arizona, the United States. Holotype...

Mar 2, 2022 by News Staff

An analysis of over three dozen specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex finds that they exhibit such a remarkable degree of proportional variations that the pattern...

Feb 23, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

Dearc sgiathanach had an estimated wingspan of between 1.9 and 3.8 m (6.2-12.5 feet), roughly the size of the largest flying birds today (e.g., wandering...

Feb 22, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

A new genus and species of abelisaurid theropod has been identified from a partially complete skull found in northwestern Argentina. An artist’s reconstruction...

Feb 22, 2022 by News Staff

Paleontologists have found six specimens from three species of ornithuromorph birds — two of which are new to science — at the Changma locality...

Feb 21, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

A new genus and species of dinosaur being named Iberospinus natarioi has been discovered by Dr. Octávio Mateus and Dr. Darío Estraviz-López from Portugal’s...