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Geosternbergia: Beast of the Week

fossil Geosternbergia Pteranodon Pterosauria taxonomy

 This week we are looing at a famous pterosaur.  Check out Geosternbergia sterngergi!  I'm going to start this post off with pointing out that Geosternbergia is considered simply a separate species within the genus, Pteranodon, by many experts, which would make its name Pteranodon sternbergi.  That being said, since I already did a post on Pteranodon longiceps, I'm choosing to refer to this pterosaur as Geosternbergia.  (taxonomy is complicated and also subject to change especially with fossils)

31/05/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Eocursor: Prehistoric Beast of the Week

South Africa Dinosauria Eocursor

This week we are going to check out a little dinosaur that gives us insight into the origins of some of the most iconic dinosaurs, Eocursor parvus!  Eocursor translates to "Dawn Runner" because it was a very early dinosaur and its extremely long legs show us that it was probably a fast runner.  From snout to tail it only measured about 3 feet (roughly 1m) and was a plant-eater.  It lived about 210 million years ago in what is now South Africa and was discovered in the 1990s but wasn't formally d

17/05/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Gongshuilong: Beast of the Week

bone China Cretaceous Late Cretaceous Gongshuilong Hadrosauria

 Today we're checking out a recently described hadrosaur with a unique look, Gongshuilong fanwei!Gongshuilong lived in what is now eastern China, during the late Cretaceous period, between 68 and 66 million years ago.  From beak to tail it measured about 23 feet (7m) long and would have been a plant-eater when alive.  The genus name translates from Mandarin to "Gong River Dragon" in reference to the Gong River near where its bones were discovered.Gongshuilong life reconstruction in watercolors b

10/05/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Mexidracon: Beast of the Week

Mexico Cretaceous Late Cretaceous Dinosauria

 This week we will be taking a look at a unusual theropod.  Check out Mexidracon longimanus!Mexidracon was a theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now Coahuila, Mexico, during the late Cretaceous period, about 72 million years ago.  From beak to tail it measured about 10 feet (3m) long.  Its genus name translates to "Mexican Dragon" and its species name to "long hand".  It may have been a plant-eater when alive or possibly eaten a mix of both plants and meat.  Mexidracon life reconstruction in

03/05/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Peloroplites: Beast of the Week

United States Cedar Mountain Lance Cretaceous Dinosauria Peloroplites

 This week we will be checking out a large tank dinosaur.  Enter Peloroplites cedrimontanus!Peloroplites was a plant-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now Utah, USA, during the Cretaceous period, between 98 and 93 million years ago.  From snout to tail it would have measured about 20 feet (6m) long.  It's genus name translates to "Giant Hoplite" in reference to hoplites, the ancient Greek soldiers who famously carried spears and large shields.  The species name translates to "Cedar Mountain"

19/04/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Diamantinasaurus: Beast of the Week

Australia Cretaceous Diamantinasauria Dinosauria

This week we'll be learning about a beast that greatly helps us understand how sauropod dinosaurs ("long-necks") looked and lived.  Check out Diamantinasaurus matildae!Diamantinasaurus lived in what is now Queensland, Australia during the middle Cretaceous period, between 95 and 92 million years ago.  It's considered medium-sized for a sauropod, and would have measured about 52 feet (16m) long from snout to tail. (Yes. 52 feet is only medium for sauropods!) Like all sauropods it would have eaten

12/04/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Daemonosaurus: Beast of the Week

Mexico United States Late Triassic Triassic Daemonosaurus Dinosauria skull

 This week we will be checking out a unique looking early dinosaur with a very cool name.  Meet Daemonosaurus chaoliodus!Daemonosaurus was a small meat-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now New Mexico, United States, during the late Triassic period, roughly between 205 and 200 million years ago.  From nose to tail it is estimated to have measured roughly 5 to 7 feet (1.5-2.2m).  These are estimates based on the fact that only the skull and neck were found.  The genus name translates to "Demo

05/04/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Elasmosaurus: Beast of the Week

United States Cretaceous Late Cretaceous Elasmosaurus

 This week we will be checking out a sea beast who's proportions were so outrageous, it confused even scientists! Check out Elasmosaurus platyurus.Elasmosaurus was a large reptile that lived in he sea that covered what is now central part of the United States during the late Cretaceous period, between 80 and 77 million years ago.  From snout to tail it would have measured about 34 feet (7.1m) and would have eaten meat when alive.  Its genus name translates to "plate reptile" in reference to how

29/03/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Haolong: Beast of the Week

China Cretaceous Early Cretaceous juvenile specimen Dinosauria Haolong

 This week we'll be checking out a newly described dinosaur that is so unique, it completely changes what we think we knew about dinosaur skin!  Enter Haolong dongi!Haolong was a plant-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now Liaoning, China, during the Early Cretaceous period, about 112.5 million years ago.  The only specimen on record measures about 8 feet (2.45m) from beak to tail but was a juvenile when it died so the species likely grew larger.  The genus name translates from Chinese to "S

08/03/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Spinosaurus: Beast of the Week

Egypt Morocco Niger Cretaceous Late Cretaceous Dinosauria Spinosauria

Make way (lots of room...back up more...keep going...keep going...backbackbackback) for the mighty Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus! Spinosaurus was a meat-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now Africa, including Egypt, Morocco, and Niger during the late Cretaceous Period, about 97-95 million years ago.  It was a massive animal, the biggest known individuals possibly measuring 49 feet (about 15m) long from snout to tail as an adult, making it the longest meat-eating dinosaur known to science.  The gen

22/02/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Corythosaurus: Beast of the Week

crest Canada Canardia Corythosaurus Dinosauria Hadrosauria Hadrosauridae Hypacrosaurus Lambeosauria Parasaurolophus Velafrons

This week we will take a look at a well known duckbill dinosaur.  Enter Corythosaurus!  Corythosaurus was a plant eater that belonged to the lambiosaurine group within the family, Hadrosauridae. (duckbills)  Lambiosaurine hadrosaurs typically had hollow crests on their heads and narrower beaks compared to other kinds hadrosaurs.  It was closely related to other lambiosaurine hadrosaurs such as Parasaurolophus, Hypacrosaurus, Lambeosaurus, and Velafrons.  It lived in what is now Alberta, Canada,

15/02/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Torvosaurus: Beast of the Week

bone predator Germany Portugal United States Jurassic Late Jurassic Dinosauria Torvosaurus

Today we are going to look at a huge Jurassic predatory dinosaur, Torvosaurus tanneri!  Torvosaurus lived about 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period. Its bones have been unearthed in Colorado, USA, Portugal, and possibly Germany (Europe and North America were not as vastly separated back then, remember, so a lot of the dinosaurs on each of them from that time shared recent ancestors).  From nose to tail it measured up to 36 feet (about 11m) and would have been among the largest,

08/02/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Hesperosuchus: Beast of the Week

Mexico United States Late Triassic Triassic fossil skeleton

This week we will be checking out a relative of modern crocodilians that has tricked scientists multiple times!  Enter Hesperosuchus agilis!Hesperosuchus was a pseudosuchian (related to crocodilians) that lived in what is now Arizona and New Mexico, USA, during the late Triassic period, about 210 million years ago.  It would have been a meat-eater and from snout to tail the most complete skeleton measures about four feet (1.2m) but other fossils suggest it could have grown larger, up to about si

01/02/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Pachycephalosaurus: Beast of the Week

limb movie Jurassic Dinosauria Pachycephalosauria skull

This week we shall be checking out a well-known dinosaur with an iconic skull.  This dinosaur is one of my personal all time favorites.  I will never forget seeing it's awesome representation in The Lost World: Jurassic Park in the movie theater when I was only eight years old.  The way it smashed that truck...it changed me.  Say hello to Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis! Pachycephalosaurus life reconstruction in watercolor by Christopher DiPiazza.Pachycephalosaurus was the largest known member o

25/01/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Ajkaceratops: Beast of the Week

Hungary Cretaceous Late Cretaceous fossil Ajkaceratops Dinosauria

This week we will be checking out a unique dinosaur that lived in an even more unique environment.  Let's talk about Ajkaceratops kozmai!Ajkaceratops was a small plant-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now Hungary during the late Cretaceous period, about 85 million years ago.  From beak to tail it likely measured a little over 3 feet (1m) long.  The genus name translates to "Ajka Horned Face", referencing the town in Hungary near where its fossils were found.  Watercolor of Ajkaceratops by C

18/01/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Parasaurolophus: Beast of the Week

crest Cretaceous Late Cretaceous specimen Canardia Dinosauria Parasaurolophus

This week we will be taking a look at a very popular duck-billed dinosaur.  Say hello to Parasaurolophus!  Parasaurolophus was a plant eater that lived in what is now North America during the Late Cretaceous, about 77 to 73 million years ago.  Parasaurolophus measured about 30 feet (9.1 meters) long from beak to tail, but certain incomplete specimens show evidence of having been a bit larger.  Parasaurolophus is most well-known for its long, curved crest that grew from the back of its head, givi

21/12/2025 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Anurognathus: Beast of the Week

Germany Jurassic Late Jurassic Anurognathus Pterosauria skull

This week we will be checking out a unique little pterosaur, Anurognathus ammoni!  Anurognathus lived in what is now Germany during the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago.  It was tiny, sporting a 14 inch (35.5 cm) wingspan, and would have likely eaten insects.  It's genus name translates to "Frog Jaw" since its skull was similar looking to a frog's, being extremely blunt with a wide mouth.  Watercolor reconstruction of Anurognathus ammoni by Christopher DiPiazza.Anurognathus' sku

14/12/2025 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Edmontosaurus: Beast of the Week

Cretaceous Late Cretaceous Canardia Dinosauria Edmontosaurus Hadrosauria

Today we are checking out one of the largest and most well studied of the duck-billed dinosaurs.  Enter Edmontosaurus!  Edmontosaurus annectens in watercolors by Christopher DiPiazza.Edmontosaurus was a hadrosaur ("duck-billed") dinosaur that could grow to at least 39 feet (12 meters) long from beak to tail that lived during the late Cretaceous period in what is now western North America.  There are currently two recognized species within the genus, Edmontosaurus regalis and Edmontosaurus annect

29/11/2025 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Nanotyrannus: Beast of the Week

United States Cretaceous Dinosauria Nanotyrannus

 This week we will be learning about a dinosaur who's identity has been the subject of a lot of debate or decades.  Check out Nanotyrannus!Nanotyrannus was a meat-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now Montana in the United States during the latest Cretaceous period, between 67 and 66 million years ago.  From snout to tail it measured between 17 and 20 feet (6.2 meters) long as an adult. The genus name translates to "Small/Dwarf Tyrant" because it was originally believed to be a close relativ

19/11/2025 prehistoricbeastoftheweek

Zuul: Beast of the Week

movie United States Cretaceous Late Cretaceous Ankylosauria Dinosauria Zuul

 This week we will be learning about an amazing armored dinosaur with a delightfully spooky name.  Check out Zuul crurivastator!  Zuul was an ankylosaur dinosaur that lived in what is now Montana, USA, during the late Cretaceous period, about 75 million years ago.  It measured about 20 feet (6 meters) from beak to tail and would have eaten plants when alive.  The genus name is in direct reference to the monster from the 1984 movie, Ghostbusters, which paleontologists think resembled the dinosaur

31/10/2025 prehistoricbeastoftheweek