←

specimen

Specimen nature

204 image(s) · 23 News

Image gallery

Reconstruction of the Bravoceratops skeleton with known bones marked in white. Specimen: TMM 46015-1 (holotype). Scale bar=2 m. Total length along centra=6.97 m.
Taxa Bravoceratops

Reconstruction of the Bravoceratops skeleton with known bones marked in white. Specimen: TMM 46015-1 (holotype). Scale bar=2 m. Total length along centra=6.97 m.

bone scale holotype specimen +2
Jabalisaurus tethyensis, holotype specimen SNSB-BSPG 1954 I 608. A, overview photo; B, interpretive drawing. Abbreviations. at-ns, atlas neural spine; clav (L), left clavicle; hf, hind fin; ic, interclavicle; il, ilium; ip, ischiopubis.
Taxa Jabalisaurus

Jabalisaurus tethyensis, holotype specimen SNSB-BSPG 1954 I 608. A, overview photo; B, interpretive drawing. Abbreviations. at-ns, atlas neural spine; clav (L), left clavicle; hf, hind fin; ic, interclavicle; il, ilium; ip, ischiopubis.

drawing holotype specimen Jabalisaurus
Holotype of the polycotylid[1] plesiosaur Edgarosaurus muddi DRUCKENMILLER, 2002, (MOR 751) comprising the skull, the neck, and the left front flipper, on display in the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana. The specimen was collected in Edgar, Carbon County, Montana, from the Shell Creek member of the Thermopolis Shale Formation, Upper Albian, uppermost Lower Cretaceous.[2]
Taxa Edgarosaurus

Holotype of the polycotylid[1] plesiosaur Edgarosaurus muddi DRUCKENMILLER, 2002, (MOR 751) comprising the skull, the neck, and the left front flipper, on display in the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana. The specimen was collected in Edgar, Carbon County, Montana, from the Shell Creek member of the Thermopolis Shale Formation, Upper Albian, uppermost Lower Cretaceous.[2]

museum United States Albian Cretaceous +7
A color-coded skull diagram of Palatodonta bleekeri, mostly based on a diagram published by Neenan et al. (2013). Some interpretations (such as the presence of a quadratojugal) are based on Maisch (2020). Depicted in left lateral view, mirrored from the original specimen as preserved in right lateral view. Dotted lines indicate missing bone.
Taxa Palatodonta

A color-coded skull diagram of Palatodonta bleekeri, mostly based on a diagram published by Neenan et al. (2013). Some interpretations (such as the presence of a quadratojugal) are based on Maisch (2020). Depicted in left lateral view, mirrored from the original specimen as preserved in right lateral view. Dotted lines indicate missing bone.

bone specimen Palatodonta skull
Dorsal vertebrae series of the holotype specimen of Morelladon beltrani (CMP-MS-03).

CMP-MS-03-06, -07 (including CMP-MS-03-17 and -29) and -05 (including CMP-MS-03-08) in left lateral (A) view. Interpretive drawing of CMP-MS-03-05 (including CMP-MS-03-08 neural spine) in left lateral (B) view. Abbreviations: ns, neural spine; poz, postzygapophysis; pre, prezygapophysis; rec, vertical recess; tp, transverse process.
Taxa Morelladon

Dorsal vertebrae series of the holotype specimen of Morelladon beltrani (CMP-MS-03). CMP-MS-03-06, -07 (including CMP-MS-03-17 and -29) and -05 (including CMP-MS-03-08) in left lateral (A) view. Interpretive drawing of CMP-MS-03-05 (including CMP-MS-03-08 neural spine) in left lateral (B) view. Abbreviations: ns, neural spine; poz, postzygapophysis; pre, prezygapophysis; rec, vertical recess; tp, transverse process.

drawing holotype specimen Morelladon
Holotype specimen of Linheraptor exquisitus, the blocks including nearly the entire skeleton.
Taxa Linheraptor

Holotype specimen of Linheraptor exquisitus, the blocks including nearly the entire skeleton.

Japan holotype specimen Linheraptor +1
Honghesaurus longicaudalis gen. et sp. nov., Holotype (IVPP V30380). Photo (a) and line-drawing (b) of whole specimen. c, cervical vertebra; ca, caudal vertebra; d, dorsal vertebra; s, sacral vertebra.
Taxa Honghesaurus

Honghesaurus longicaudalis gen. et sp. nov., Holotype (IVPP V30380). Photo (a) and line-drawing (b) of whole specimen. c, cervical vertebra; ca, caudal vertebra; d, dorsal vertebra; s, sacral vertebra.

vertebra drawing holotype specimen +1
Luopingosaurus imparilis gen. et sp. nov., Holotype (IVPP V19049). Photo (a) and line-drawing (b) of whole specimen. c, cervical vertebra; ca, caudal vertebra; d, dorsal vertebra; s, sacral vertebra.
Taxa Luopingosaurus

Luopingosaurus imparilis gen. et sp. nov., Holotype (IVPP V19049). Photo (a) and line-drawing (b) of whole specimen. c, cervical vertebra; ca, caudal vertebra; d, dorsal vertebra; s, sacral vertebra.

vertebra drawing holotype specimen +1
Left ilium of the camarasauromorph sauropod Brontomerus mcintoshi from the Lower Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah, type specimen OMNH 66430 in lateral view reconstructed from the three fragments (A), and ventral view (B).
Taxa Brontomerus

Left ilium of the camarasauromorph sauropod Brontomerus mcintoshi from the Lower Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah, type specimen OMNH 66430 in lateral view reconstructed from the three fragments (A), and ventral view (B).

Cedar Mountain Cretaceous specimen Brontomerus +1
Cetarthrosaurus walkeri, propodials. A–F: Holotype (CAMSM B58069), in proximal (A), distal (B), dorsal (C), anterior (D), posterior (E), and ventral (F) views. G–L: referred specimen (CAMSM X50170), in proximal (G), distal (H), dorsal (I), anterior (J), posterior (K), and ventral (L) views.

Note the high aspect ratio, the rounded capitulum disconnected from the shaft trochanters, and the high and lamellar dorsal trochanter. Abbreviations: AAE: anterior accessory epipodial element; Fi: fibula; Ra: radius; Ti: tibia; Ul: ulna.
Taxa Cetarthrosaurus

Cetarthrosaurus walkeri, propodials. A–F: Holotype (CAMSM B58069), in proximal (A), distal (B), dorsal (C), anterior (D), posterior (E), and ventral (F) views. G–L: referred specimen (CAMSM X50170), in proximal (G), distal (H), dorsal (I), anterior (J), posterior (K), and ventral (L) views. Note the high aspect ratio, the rounded capitulum disconnected from the shaft trochanters, and the high and lamellar dorsal trochanter. Abbreviations: AAE: anterior accessory epipodial element; Fi: fibula; Ra: radius; Ti: tibia; Ul: ulna.

holotype specimen Cetarthrosaurus
The holotype of Tameryraptor markgrafi (SNSB-BSPG 1922 X46). Photograph of the mounted specimen at a point prior to April 1944.
Taxa Tameryraptor

The holotype of Tameryraptor markgrafi (SNSB-BSPG 1922 X46). Photograph of the mounted specimen at a point prior to April 1944.

holotype specimen Tameryraptor
Restoration of Ganzhousaurus nankangensis, proportions based on diagrams of the holotype specimen and related genera.
Taxa Ganzhousaurus

Restoration of Ganzhousaurus nankangensis, proportions based on diagrams of the holotype specimen and related genera.

holotype specimen Ganzhousaurus
The type specimens of Datai yingliangis gen. et ap. nov. (individual lying on top: YLSNHM 01003; individual on bottom: YLSNHM 01002, holotype) prepared and reconstructed in situ. The head, cervical, and thoracic regions of the specimens were discovered and extracted from a single block.
Taxa Datai

The type specimens of Datai yingliangis gen. et ap. nov. (individual lying on top: YLSNHM 01003; individual on bottom: YLSNHM 01002, holotype) prepared and reconstructed in situ. The head, cervical, and thoracic regions of the specimens were discovered and extracted from a single block.

holotype specimen Datai
Comptonatus is an iguanodontid ornithopod dinosaur that lived about 125 million years ago, in the Early Cretaceous of what is now Europe. It was a medium sized herbivore at about 7 m in length, and weighed around 1 t in body mass. Fossilized footprints found near the original specimen indicate that Comptonatus was likely a herding animal. Comparisons between Comptonatus and other iguanodontids that lived around the same time and region show a high rate of diversity. This indicates there may have been pressure for speedy evolutionary adaptation in the region, or perhaps a high volume of migration.
Taxa Comptonatus

Comptonatus is an iguanodontid ornithopod dinosaur that lived about 125 million years ago, in the Early Cretaceous of what is now Europe. It was a medium sized herbivore at about 7 m in length, and weighed around 1 t in body mass. Fossilized footprints found near the original specimen indicate that Comptonatus was likely a herding animal. Comparisons between Comptonatus and other iguanodontids that lived around the same time and region show a high rate of diversity. This indicates there may have been pressure for speedy evolutionary adaptation in the region, or perhaps a high volume of migration.

migration Cretaceous Early Cretaceous specimen +3
Changmiania liaoningensis, an ornithopod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Lujiatun (Liaoning Province, China).
(A) Holotype PMOL AD00114 in dorsal view; (B) anterior part of the holotype PMOL AD00114 in caudolateral view; (C) referred specimen PMOL LFV022 in dorsal view. Red arrows indicate the emplacement of the gastrolith clusters.
Taxa Changmiania

Changmiania liaoningensis, an ornithopod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Lujiatun (Liaoning Province, China). (A) Holotype PMOL AD00114 in dorsal view; (B) anterior part of the holotype PMOL AD00114 in caudolateral view; (C) referred specimen PMOL LFV022 in dorsal view. Red arrows indicate the emplacement of the gastrolith clusters.

China Cretaceous holotype specimen +2
MUHNCAL.20173, holotype specimen of Gondwananectes osvaldoi. A, quarry scheme of the recovered blocks (numbered 1–7). Blocks 1–3 preserve contact surfaces and they are arranged consistently. The position of blocks 4–7 is tentative due to the lack of contact surfaces, although it is based on the anatomical elements preserved. B, schematic diagram of the preserved anatomical elements in MUHNCAL.20173. Abbreviations: c1–c10, cervical centra/vertebrae; d1–d3, dorsal centra; d1na–d3na, neural arches of the d1–d3 dorsal centra; il, ilium fragment; in, indeterminate; lco, left coracoid, lcna, last cervical neural arch; lh, left humerus; lsc, left scapula (ventral process); p1–p2, pectoral centra; pd, posterior dorsal centrum; pna, pectoral neural arch; r, ribs; rh, right humerus (distal); rsc, right scapula (dorsal process). Scale bars represent 10 cm.
Taxa Gondwananectes

MUHNCAL.20173, holotype specimen of Gondwananectes osvaldoi. A, quarry scheme of the recovered blocks (numbered 1–7). Blocks 1–3 preserve contact surfaces and they are arranged consistently. The position of blocks 4–7 is tentative due to the lack of contact surfaces, although it is based on the anatomical elements preserved. B, schematic diagram of the preserved anatomical elements in MUHNCAL.20173. Abbreviations: c1–c10, cervical centra/vertebrae; d1–d3, dorsal centra; d1na–d3na, neural arches of the d1–d3 dorsal centra; il, ilium fragment; in, indeterminate; lco, left coracoid, lcna, last cervical neural arch; lh, left humerus; lsc, left scapula (ventral process); p1–p2, pectoral centra; pd, posterior dorsal centrum; pna, pectoral neural arch; r, ribs; rh, right humerus (distal); rsc, right scapula (dorsal process). Scale bars represent 10 cm.

humerus scale holotype specimen +1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

News

Ancient long snouted croc from Egypt rewrites evolution
hunting predator Egypt fossil specimen discovery evolution
A newly identified crocodile relative from Egypt pushes back the origins of the marine-hunting dyrosaurids by millions of years. The fossil, Wadisuchus kassabi, shows a mix of primitive and advanced traits that mark a key evolutionary transition. Rare specimens of different ages reveal how these ancient predators developed. The find reinforces Africa as the center of early dyrosaurid evolution.
01/12/2025 sciencedaily
Zavacephale: Beast of the Week
Zavacephale: Beast of the Week
Mongolia Cretaceous Early Cretaceous specimen Dinosauria Pachycephalosauria Zavacephale
 This week we'll be looking at a newly described little dinosaur that greatly expands our knowledge on one of the most unusual kinds of dinosaurs, the pachycephalosaurs.  Welcome Zavacephale rinpoche!Zavacephale lived in what is now Mongolia during the early Cretaceous period, between 119 and 110 million years ago.  From snout to tail the specimen found would have only been about three feet (1 meter) in length, but it likely would have been able to grow larger.  The genus name, Zavacephale, tran
21/09/2025 prehistoricbeastoftheweek
New fossils reveal a hidden branch in human evolution
tooth Ethiopia fossil specimen discovery evolution
Fossils unearthed in Ethiopia are reshaping our view of human evolution. Instead of a straight march from ape-like ancestors to modern humans, researchers now see a tangled, branching tree with multiple species coexisting. Newly discovered teeth reveal a previously unknown species of Australopithecus that lived alongside some of the earliest Homo specimens nearly 2.8 million years ago. This suggests that nature tested multiple versions of “being human” before our lineage endured.
28/08/2025 sciencedaily-human-evo
1 2 3 4 5