Paleontology News

Three New Fossil Species of Big-Headed Flies Discovered

Modern big-headed fly shows its round head covered by compound eyes. Image credit: Nikola Rahmé.
Jan 24, 2014 by News Staff

Scientists led by Dr Bruce Archibald of Simon Fraser University have discovered three extinct species of big-headed flies that lived in what is modern North America during the early Eocene period, between 52 and 49 million years ago. Modern big-headed fly shows its round head covered by compound eyes. Image credit: Nikola Rahmé. “Big-headed flies are a group of bizarre insects whose round heads are almost entirely covered by their bulging compound...

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The Hoatzin, Opisthocomus hoazin, near Lake Sandoval, Peru. Image credit: Kate / CC BY-SA 2.0.

Hoatzin: South American Bird May Have Originated in Europe

Jan 23, 2014 by News Staff

A new species of prehistoric hoatzin from the late Eocene of France is the earliest fossil record of hoatzins and the first one from Europe, according...

This is an artist’s impression of a shallow reef in the latest Middle Triassic of China. The newly discovered Fuyuansaurus acutirostris was similar to another protorosaur, Tanystropheus longobardicus (long-necked reptile in the center). Image credit: © Brian Choo, 2013.

Fuyuansaurus acutirostris: Long-Snouted Protorosaur Discovered in China

Jan 16, 2014 by Sergio Prostak

Paleontologists from the National Museums Scotland, the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology...

This image shows a reconstruction of Tiktaalik roseae. Image credit: Tyler Keillor / Beth Rooney.

New Fossils of Tiktaalik roseae Amaze Scientists

Jan 14, 2014 by News Staff

Paleontologists led by Prof Neil Shubin from the University of Chicago have discovered unique fossils of Tiktaalik roseae – the most compelling example...

Scientists Discover 310-Million-Years-Old Nursery of Bandringa Sharks

Jan 10, 2014 by News Staff

According to paleontologists from the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan, long-extinct Bandringa sharks migrated downstream from freshwater...

Fossils Reveal True Color of Mosasaurs, Ichthyosaurs, Prehistoric Turtles

Jan 9, 2014 by News Staff

Fossilized skin pigments from an 85 million-year-old mosasaur, a 193 million-year-old ichthyosaur and a 55 million-year-old leatherback turtle have revealed...

Reconstruction of Dormaalcyon latouri. Image credit: Charlène Letenneur, MNHN / Pascale Golinvaux, RBINS.

Dormaalocyon latouri: Prehistoric Mammal Sheds Light on Origins of Carnivoraforms

Jan 9, 2014 by News Staff

A newly discovered genus and species of primitive carnivorous animal that lived in what is now Europe roughly 55 million years ago sheds light on the origins...

The Dusky cockroach (Ectobius lapponicus) is a member of the genus Ectobius. Image credit: Adam Opioła / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Eurasian Ectobius Cockroaches May Have Originated in North America

Jan 8, 2014 by News Staff

An international team of paleontologists has reported the important discovery of a new fossil species in the cockroach genus Ectobius. The Dusky cockroach...

This image shows flowers of Micropetasos burmensis in a 100-million-year-old piece of amber. Image credit: Oregon State University.

Amber Reveals Oldest Evidence of Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Jan 3, 2014 by News Staff

A 100-million-year-old piece of amber from mines in the Hukawng Valley of Myanmar (formerly Burma) has revealed the oldest known evidence of sexual reproduction...

Every year, hundreds of new dinosaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles and fishes are discovered, and among them are always a few really weird or funny species. 2013's list includes a giant hedgehog, the oldest big cat species, a toothed platypus, dinosaurs, prehistoric fishes and birds.

Top 20 Fossil Species Discovered in 2013 – Part 2

Dec 31, 2013 by Natali Anderson

Every year, hundreds of new dinosaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles and fishes are discovered, and among them are always a few really weird or beautiful...

Every year, hundreds of new dinosaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles and fishes are discovered, and among them are always a few really weird or funny species. 2013's list includes a giant hedgehog, the oldest big cat species, a toothed platypus, dinosaurs, prehistoric fishes and birds.

Top 20 Fossil Species Discovered in 2013

Dec 31, 2013 by Sergio Prostak

Every year, hundreds of new dinosaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles and fishes are discovered, and among them are always a few really weird or beautiful...

Life reconstruction of a pair of Chasmaporthetes gangsriensis. Image credit: Julie Selan.

Chasmaporthetes gangsriensis: New Fossil Hyena Found in Tibet

Dec 28, 2013 by Sergio Prostak

Paleontologists have discovered fossils of a previously unknown species of cursorial hyena that lived in what is now Tibetan Plateau during the middle...

The Great spotted kiwi, Apteryx haastii: a male with a juvenile. Artwork by John Gerrard Keulemans, 1876.

Proapteryx micromeros: Kiwi’s Ancestor Could Have Flown from Australia

Dec 26, 2013 by Sergio Prostak

A 19 to 16-million-year-old fossil of a kiwi-like bird unearthed at St Bathans, New Zealand, suggests that the kiwi is not a dwarf version of a distant...

This is an artist's impression of the newly discovered Acheroraptor temertyorum, which lived at the same time as Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. Image credit: Julius Csotonyi.

Acheroraptor temertyorum: New Dinosaur Discovered in Montana

Dec 20, 2013 by News Staff

Canadian paleontologists have described a new genus and species of raptor dinosaur that lived in western North America about 66 million years ago, at the...

Edmontosaurus regalis. Image credit: Julius Csotonyi / Current Biology.

Edmontosaurus Fossil Shows Duck-Billed Dinosaurs Had Soft-Tissue Comb

Dec 19, 2013 by News Staff

A unique fossil of the duck-billed dinosaur Edmontosaurus regalis shows for the first time that those dinosaurs’ heads were adorned with a fleshy...

This painting shows three representatives of Hypohippus, an extinct genus of three-toed horse that lived in North America during the middle Miocene, 17 - 11 million years ago. Painting by Heinrich Harder, 1916.

Eurygnathohippus woldegabrieli: New Fossil Species of Horse Found in Ethiopia

Dec 18, 2013 by News Staff

An international team of paleontologists have discovered fossils of a new horse species that was about the size of a small zebra and roamed eastern Africa...

Niassodon mfumukasi. Image credit: Fernando Correia, dbio / UAveiro.

Niassodon mfumukasi: Fossil of New Mammal-Like Reptile Found in Mozambique

Dec 5, 2013 by News Staff

Paleontologists have discovered a new genus and species of dicynodont that lived in what is now modern Mozambique during the Late Permian period, about...

Erlikosaurus andrewsi. Image credit: Dinosaur-world.com.

Research Reveals Role of Dinosaur Beaks

Dec 3, 2013 by News Staff

By using CT scanning technology combined with computer simulations, paleontologists have revealed what role keratinous beaks of some dinosaurs played in...

An artist's reconstruction of Siats meekerorum. Image credit: Jorge Gonzales.

Siats meekerorum: New Giant Dinosaur Found in Utah

Nov 22, 2013 by News Staff

Paleontologists announced today the discovery of a new predatory dinosaur that lived in what is modern-day Utah around 100 million years ago. An artist’s...

Extant tarsier species: Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta). Image credit: Jasper Greek Golangco.

Hesperotarsius: New Miocene Tarsier Discovered in Pakistan

Nov 21, 2013 by Natali Anderson

Paleontologists led by Dr Jelle Zijlstra from Harvard’s Peabody Museum have discovered a new genus and species of tarsier that lived in what is modern-day...

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