skull

View type

188 image(s) · 18 News

Image gallery

Sarahsaurus aurifontanalis, referred skull (MCZ 8893), in (a) lateral, (b) occipital, (c) dorsal and (d) ventral views. an, angular; ar, articular; bo, basioccipital; bs, basisphenoid; ec, ectopterygoid; f, frontal; h, hyoid; j, jugal; l, lacrimal; ls, laterosphenoid; m, maxilla; n, nasal; op, opisthotic-exoccipital; p, parietal; po, postorbital; prf, prefrontal; pm, premaxilla; pt, pterygoid; q, quadrate; qj, quadratojugal; so, supraoccipital; sq, squamosal. Scale bar, 5 cm.
Taxa Sarahsaurus

Sarahsaurus aurifontanalis, referred skull (MCZ 8893), in (a) lateral, (b) occipital, (c) dorsal and (d) ventral views. an, angular; ar, articular; bo, basioccipital; bs, basisphenoid; ec, ectopterygoid; f, frontal; h, hyoid; j, jugal; l, lacrimal; ls, laterosphenoid; m, maxilla; n, nasal; op, opisthotic-exoccipital; p, parietal; po, postorbital; prf, prefrontal; pm, premaxilla; pt, pterygoid; q, quadrate; qj, quadratojugal; so, supraoccipital; sq, squamosal. Scale bar, 5 cm.

scale Sarahsaurus skull
Skull of the mosasaurid squamate Thalassotitan atrox from the late Maastrichtian of Sidi Daoui, Ouled Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco, North Africa.
Taxa Thalassotitan

Skull of the mosasaurid squamate Thalassotitan atrox from the late Maastrichtian of Sidi Daoui, Ouled Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco, North Africa.

Morocco Maastrichtian Mosasauridae Thalassotitan +1
Holotype of Ulughbegsaurus as well as the holotype placed on a reconstruction of Ulughbegsaurus's skull
Taxa Ulughbegsaurus

Holotype of Ulughbegsaurus as well as the holotype placed on a reconstruction of Ulughbegsaurus's skull

holotype Ulughbegsaurus skull
Reconstructed skull of Einiosaurus procurvicornis on display at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Taxa Einiosaurus

Reconstructed skull of Einiosaurus procurvicornis on display at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

museum Einiosaurus skull
Montanoceratops cerorhynchus (Brown & Schlaikjer, 1942) - fossil ceratopsian dinosaur skeleton from the Cretaceous of Montana, USA. (MOR 542, Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman, Montana, USA)
The species name is sometimes incorrectly spelled "cerorhynchos".  The original publication spells it "cerorhynchus".  The genus name is sometimes incorrectly spelled "Montanaceratops".
Ceratopsians are the "horned dinosaurs".  They were large, quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaurs having a beaked skull and a frill - an extension of bone behind the skull that partially covered the neck.  Ceratopsian dinosaurs are known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous.  The last members of the group died out at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, 65 million years ago.
This is a partial skeleton of a juvenile Montanoceratops, a ceratopsian from the near-latest Cretaceous of western North America.  This type of ceratopsian lacked facial horns.


From exhibit signage:
Sixty-eight million years ago, when the horned dinosaurs Triceratops and Torosaurus inhabited the coastal plain near the inland ocean, primitive "horned" dinosaurs named Montanoceratops lived in uplands near the young Rocky Mountains.  These little protoceratopsians fed on plants with slicing teeth and narrow beaks similar to their giant three-horned relatives.


Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Reptilia, Archosauria, Dinosauria, Ornithischia, Marginocephalia, Ceratopsia, Leptoceratopsidae
Stratigraphy: St. Mary River Formation, Maastrichtian Stage, Upper Cretaceous
Locality: Little Rocky Coulee, north of the town of Cut Bank, eastern Glacier County, northwestern Montana, USA


Info. at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montanoceratops
Taxa Montanoceratops

Montanoceratops cerorhynchus (Brown & Schlaikjer, 1942) - fossil ceratopsian dinosaur skeleton from the Cretaceous of Montana, USA. (MOR 542, Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman, Montana, USA) The species name is sometimes incorrectly spelled "cerorhynchos". The original publication spells it "cerorhynchus". The genus name is sometimes incorrectly spelled "Montanaceratops". Ceratopsians are the "horned dinosaurs". They were large, quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaurs having a beaked skull and a frill - an extension of bone behind the skull that partially covered the neck. Ceratopsian dinosaurs are known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous. The last members of the group died out at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, 65 million years ago. This is a partial skeleton of a juvenile Montanoceratops, a ceratopsian from the near-latest Cretaceous of western North America. This type of ceratopsian lacked facial horns. From exhibit signage: Sixty-eight million years ago, when the horned dinosaurs Triceratops and Torosaurus inhabited the coastal plain near the inland ocean, primitive "horned" dinosaurs named Montanoceratops lived in uplands near the young Rocky Mountains. These little protoceratopsians fed on plants with slicing teeth and narrow beaks similar to their giant three-horned relatives. Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Reptilia, Archosauria, Dinosauria, Ornithischia, Marginocephalia, Ceratopsia, Leptoceratopsidae Stratigraphy: St. Mary River Formation, Maastrichtian Stage, Upper Cretaceous Locality: Little Rocky Coulee, north of the town of Cut Bank, eastern Glacier County, northwestern Montana, USA Info. at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montanoceratops

bone museum United States Cretaceous +10
Skull of a Parksosaurus
Taxa Parksosaurus

Skull of a Parksosaurus

Parksosaurus skull
Kronosaurus queenslandicus (QM F18827; proposed neotype [part]) skull in dorsal view (modified from McHenry Citation2009). Scale = 30 cm.
Taxa Kronosaurus

Kronosaurus queenslandicus (QM F18827; proposed neotype [part]) skull in dorsal view (modified from McHenry Citation2009). Scale = 30 cm.

scale Kronosaurus skull
Paratype skull of Hamipterus tianshanensis on display at the Paleozoological Museum of China.
Taxa Hamipterus

Paratype skull of Hamipterus tianshanensis on display at the Paleozoological Museum of China.

museum China Hamipteridae Hamipterus +1
Paratype skull of Hamipterus tianshanensis on display at the Paleozoological Museum of China.
Taxa Hamipteridae

Paratype skull of Hamipterus tianshanensis on display at the Paleozoological Museum of China.

museum China Hamipteridae Hamipterus +1
Skull reconstruction of Incisivosaurus gauthieri.
Taxa Incisivosaurus

Skull reconstruction of Incisivosaurus gauthieri.

Incisivosaurus skull
Sarcosaurus diagram of known material: reconstruction based on basal Ceratosaurs (such as Berberosaurus and Saltriovenator). The Skull was made to look more generic and less like more derived Ceratosaurs such as Ceratosaurus. "Liassaurus", referred to "cf. Sarcosaurus woodi" and is smaller than the holotype: material in light grey is preserved, but to what extent is uncertain as it is not figured.
References:
Carrano and Sampson (2004). "A review of coelophysoids (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Jurassic of Europe, with comments on the late history of the Coelophysoidea." N. Jb. Geol. Palaont. Mh., 2004(9): 537-558. (for figures of the material)
theropoddatabase.com/Coelophysoidea.htm#Sarcosauruswoodi (for measurements of "Liassaurus")

Allain, Ronan & Tykoski, Ronald & Aquesbi, Najat & Jalil, Nour-Eddine & Monbaron, Michel & Russell, Dale & Taquet, Philippe. (2007). An abelisauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Jurassic of the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco, and the radiation of Ceratosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27. 10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[610:AADTFT]2.0.CO;2. (for measurements for Berberosaurus)
Taxa Sarcosaurus

Sarcosaurus diagram of known material: reconstruction based on basal Ceratosaurs (such as Berberosaurus and Saltriovenator). The Skull was made to look more generic and less like more derived Ceratosaurs such as Ceratosaurus. "Liassaurus", referred to "cf. Sarcosaurus woodi" and is smaller than the holotype: material in light grey is preserved, but to what extent is uncertain as it is not figured. References: Carrano and Sampson (2004). "A review of coelophysoids (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Jurassic of Europe, with comments on the late history of the Coelophysoidea." N. Jb. Geol. Palaont. Mh., 2004(9): 537-558. (for figures of the material) theropoddatabase.com/Coelophysoidea.htm#Sarcosauruswoodi (for measurements of "Liassaurus") Allain, Ronan & Tykoski, Ronald & Aquesbi, Najat & Jalil, Nour-Eddine & Monbaron, Michel & Russell, Dale & Taquet, Philippe. (2007). An abelisauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Jurassic of the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco, and the radiation of Ceratosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27. 10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[610:AADTFT]2.0.CO;2. (for measurements for Berberosaurus)

Morocco Early Jurassic Jurassic holotype +8
Leaellynasaura amicagraphica, dinosaur, skull. Holotype. [P 185991]
Taxa Leaellynasaura

Leaellynasaura amicagraphica, dinosaur, skull. Holotype. [P 185991]

museum holotype Dinosauria Leaellynasaura +1
Rhomboid distal nasal process of the crest of Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus.

A. Partial distal nasal process of IVPP V725 in right lateral view. B. Lateral view of composite skull (reversed). C. partial premaxillonasal complex of IVPP V829 in right lateral view. D. Line drawing of (C) showing nasal-premaxilla articulation, and the displacement (arrow) experienced by the distal nasal process relative to its articular position. E. Mounted holotype skull (IVPP V725) of T. spinorhinus in left lateral view (reversed). F. Partial right distal nasal process (although catalogued as IVPP V725, this element corresponds to a different specimen than the type; reversed).
Taxa Tsintaosaurus

Rhomboid distal nasal process of the crest of Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus. A. Partial distal nasal process of IVPP V725 in right lateral view. B. Lateral view of composite skull (reversed). C. partial premaxillonasal complex of IVPP V829 in right lateral view. D. Line drawing of (C) showing nasal-premaxilla articulation, and the displacement (arrow) experienced by the distal nasal process relative to its articular position. E. Mounted holotype skull (IVPP V725) of T. spinorhinus in left lateral view (reversed). F. Partial right distal nasal process (although catalogued as IVPP V725, this element corresponds to a different specimen than the type; reversed).

crest drawing holotype specimen +3
Xenovenator espinosai, holotype braincase CPC 2973. In (A) left lateral; (B) right lateral; (C) dorsal; (D) ventral; (E) anterior; (F) posterior. Abbreviations: bo, basicoccipital; bul, parabasisphenoid bulla; ex, exoccipital; fr, frontal; lad, lateral depression; lac, lacrimal articulation; lat, laterosphenoid; osp, orbitosphenoid; par, parietal; pbs, parabasisphenoid; po, postorbital; ri, median ridge; sk, skull; stf, supratemporal fossa.
Taxa Xenovenator

Xenovenator espinosai, holotype braincase CPC 2973. In (A) left lateral; (B) right lateral; (C) dorsal; (D) ventral; (E) anterior; (F) posterior. Abbreviations: bo, basicoccipital; bul, parabasisphenoid bulla; ex, exoccipital; fr, frontal; lad, lateral depression; lac, lacrimal articulation; lat, laterosphenoid; osp, orbitosphenoid; par, parietal; pbs, parabasisphenoid; po, postorbital; ri, median ridge; sk, skull; stf, supratemporal fossa.

holotype Xenovenator skull
Skull of Dromiceiomimus
Taxa Dromiceiomimus

Skull of Dromiceiomimus

Dromiceiomimus skull
Skull of Saichania, Warsaw Museum of Evolution
Taxa Saichania

Skull of Saichania, Warsaw Museum of Evolution

museum Saichania evolution skull
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

News

This prehistoric fish may explain how animals first walked on Earth
Antarctica skull
Scientists have peered inside the skull of a 380-million-year-old Antarctic fish that was closely related to the first animals to walk on land, revealing surprising clues about how life began its move out of the water. Using advanced neutron imaging, researchers discovered that Koharalepis jarviki had features suited for living near the water’s surface, including openings in its skull that may have helped it gulp air and a light-sensitive organ linked to day-night rhythms.
25/05/2026 sciencedaily-paleo
T. rex’s tiny arms may have evolved for a surprisingly brutal reason
jaw limb hunting predator prey Dinosauria skull
Why did T. rex have such tiny arms? Scientists now think it’s because its giant head became the ultimate hunting tool. Across multiple dinosaur groups, stronger skulls and crushing jaws evolved alongside shrinking forelimbs, especially in predators hunting enormous prey. In other words, once the bite became deadly enough, the arms may have stopped mattering.
20/05/2026 sciencedaily
Stunning 150-million-year-old stegosaur skull rewrites dinosaur evolution
fossil Dacentrurus Dinosauria Stegosauria discovery evolution skull
A spectacular dinosaur discovery in Spain is giving scientists a rare new look inside the world of stegosaurs. Paleontologists uncovered the best-preserved stegosaur skull ever found in Europe, belonging to the iconic plated dinosaur Dacentrurus armatus, which roamed Earth around 150 million years ago. Because stegosaur skulls are extremely fragile and almost never survive intact, the fossil is helping researchers uncover previously unknown details about how these armored giants evolved.
17/05/2026 sciencedaily
New Triassic Carnivorous Dinosaur Identified from Ghost Ranch
United States Late Triassic Triassic fossil specimen Coelophysis Dinosauria Ptychotherates new species skull
Researchers from Virginia Tech (Virginia, USA) have identified a new species of Late Triassic dinosaur.  The dinosaur has been named Ptychotherates bucculentus.  This new carnivorous dinosaur taxon has been erected based on the detailed examination of an incomplete, well-preserved but jumbled up skull fossil (specimen number CM 31368).  The skull comes from the world-famous Coelophysis
11/05/2026 everythingdinosaur
New Fossil from Brazil Reveals Unexpected Diversity among Pre-Dinosaur Herbivores
New Fossil from Brazil Reveals Unexpected Diversity among Pre-Dinosaur Herbivores
jaw Brazil Triassic fossil Dinosauria new species partial skull
Paleontologists in Brazil have identified a new genus and species of hyperodapedontine rhynchosaur -- an extinct lineage of beaked, herbivorous reptiles -- based on a partial skull and lower jaws recovered from Triassic rocks. The post New Fossil from Brazil Reveals Unexpected Diversity among Pre-Dinosaur Herbivores appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
23/04/2026 sci-news
1 2 3 4