Earth Archives

almost 2 years ago by Pete Buchholz

Extinct marine reptile had the face of a platypus

Nearly a quarter billion years ago an otter-sized, armored, platypus-faced, marine reptile paddled in tropical lagoons on the shores of islands that would become southern China. This weird species is part of a diverse lineage that was restricted to a few million years and those tropical lagoons.

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fossils

over 3 years ago by Pete Buchholz

India's bull-headed reptile adds to Triassic menagerie

A large plant-eating reptile fossil from the Middle of Triassic of India shows that some adults had brow horns and some didn’t. Researchers have suggested that the horned individuals were males who used their horns in combat trying to woo females.

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fossils

about 4 years ago by Pete Buchholz

Triassic armored "coastal crocodile" unearthed in China

The discovery of an armored, aquatic predator increases the known diversity of Triassic reptiles. Comparison to other reptiles, living and extinct, shows that it was an ambush predator and most closely related to an armored predator from New Mexico.

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fossils

about 4 years ago by Dean R. Lomax

Hidden Sea Dragons: Discovering new species of ichthyosaurs in museum collections

As pieces of fossils steadily flow from the ground to museums and institutions worldwide, studies on old specimens are just as important as the new ones. Century-old collections often yield untold stories, lying in wait for someone to sit down and uncover their secrets.

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fossils

about 4 years ago by Pete Buchholz

Unusual reptile glided over Poland 230 million years ago

Powered flight evolved three times in vertebrates, all converting their forelimbs into wings. The body plan modifications among gliders however are far more diverse, including a new Triassic reptile with long legs bearing a wing membrane.

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