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Palaeogeography of the Earth in Aptian, with location of Acrocanthosaurus fossils as green dots
Intervals Aptian

Palaeogeography of the Earth in Aptian, with location of Acrocanthosaurus fossils as green dots

Aptian fossil Acrocanthosaurus
Map of Cretaceous-aged dinosaur fossil localities of Mongolia.
Gobihadros mongoliensis was collected from Bayshin Tsav in Area C. Open squares indicate Late Cretaceous sites, solid squares represent Early Cretaceous localities. Abbreviations: A, Localities of Western Gobi Desert in Mongolia, mainly group of localities of Nemegtian age (early Maastrichtian), Late Cretaceous; B, Localities of Central Gobi Desert in Mongolia, mainly Djadokhtian age (Campanian), Late Cretaceous; C & D- Localities of Eastern Gobi Desert in Mongolia, mainly Baynshirenian age (Cenomanian-Santonian), Late Cretaceous. Figure has been modified from Tsogtbaatar et al. 2014, Figure 1 [24].
Formations Baynshire

Map of Cretaceous-aged dinosaur fossil localities of Mongolia. Gobihadros mongoliensis was collected from Bayshin Tsav in Area C. Open squares indicate Late Cretaceous sites, solid squares represent Early Cretaceous localities. Abbreviations: A, Localities of Western Gobi Desert in Mongolia, mainly group of localities of Nemegtian age (early Maastrichtian), Late Cretaceous; B, Localities of Central Gobi Desert in Mongolia, mainly Djadokhtian age (Campanian), Late Cretaceous; C & D- Localities of Eastern Gobi Desert in Mongolia, mainly Baynshirenian age (Cenomanian-Santonian), Late Cretaceous. Figure has been modified from Tsogtbaatar et al. 2014, Figure 1 [24].

Mongolia Campanian Cenomanian Cretaceous +8
Figure 2: Fossil vertebrate locality of Eric the Red West.
Shore platform looking west, showing undulating erosive boundary (solid white line) between the top of the Anchor Sandstone (AS) and the base of the ETRW Sandstone (ES). White dashed lines indicate selected bedding surfaces. White scale in mid-ground (indicated by arrow) equals 1 m.
Formations Eumeralla

Figure 2: Fossil vertebrate locality of Eric the Red West. Shore platform looking west, showing undulating erosive boundary (solid white line) between the top of the Anchor Sandstone (AS) and the base of the ETRW Sandstone (ES). White dashed lines indicate selected bedding surfaces. White scale in mid-ground (indicated by arrow) equals 1 m.

scale fossil
Rendering of newly discovered dinosaur Dinevenator robustus. This troodontid was identified in 2026 from a fossil collected from San Juan County.
Taxa Dinevenator

Rendering of newly discovered dinosaur Dinevenator robustus. This troodontid was identified in 2026 from a fossil collected from San Juan County.

fossil Dinevenator Troodontidae
A broken concretion with fossils inside; Late Cretaceous Pierre shale, near Ekalaka, Montana.

A broken concretion with fossils inside; Late Cretaceous Pierre shale, near Ekalaka, Montana.

Pierre Shale Cretaceous Late Cretaceous fossil
The distictive banding of the Morrison Formation, a group of rock layers that occur throughout Dinosaur National Monument.  The formation originated as muds and sands laid down by ancient rivers, and some of its outcrops have been found to contain 150-million-year-old dinosaur fossils like those found at the monument's Dinosaur Quarry.

The distictive banding of the Morrison Formation, a group of rock layers that occur throughout Dinosaur National Monument. The formation originated as muds and sands laid down by ancient rivers, and some of its outcrops have been found to contain 150-million-year-old dinosaur fossils like those found at the monument's Dinosaur Quarry.

Morrison fossil Dinosauria formation
Bituminous claystone, Lower Jurassic, Hesselberg, Middle Franconia.
Sedimentary rock of very thin laminated layers (particles less than 0,0002 mm).

Rock formation is known for its rich fossil findings, ex. Ichthyosaur.

Bituminous claystone, Lower Jurassic, Hesselberg, Middle Franconia. Sedimentary rock of very thin laminated layers (particles less than 0,0002 mm). Rock formation is known for its rich fossil findings, ex. Ichthyosaur.

Jurassic fossil Ichthyosauria formation
Khaan fossil holotype IGM 100/1127.
Taxa Khaan

Khaan fossil holotype IGM 100/1127.

United States fossil holotype Khaan
The Natural Science Museum at El Chocón, in the northwestern Argentine Patagonia (the Comahue region). Fossil of dinosaur
Taxa Skorpiovenator

The Natural Science Museum at El Chocón, in the northwestern Argentine Patagonia (the Comahue region). Fossil of dinosaur

museum Argentina fossil Dinosauria +1
Nyasasaurus is a basal dinosauromorph that may be the earliest known dinosaur. It was a small bipedal animal at about 2-3 m in length. Nyasasaurus is difficult to classify due to inconclusive fossil evidence, but if it is a true dinosaur, it pushes the dinosaur lineage back about 12 million years to the Middle Triassic.
Taxa Nyasasaurus

Nyasasaurus is a basal dinosauromorph that may be the earliest known dinosaur. It was a small bipedal animal at about 2-3 m in length. Nyasasaurus is difficult to classify due to inconclusive fossil evidence, but if it is a true dinosaur, it pushes the dinosaur lineage back about 12 million years to the Middle Triassic.

Middle Triassic Triassic fossil Dinosauria +1
Fossil at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales in Caballito, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Taxa Pterodaustro

Fossil at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales in Caballito, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Argentina fossil Pterodaustro
Sidersaura is a rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina. Rebbachisaurids are the last known dipldocoids, and lived alongside the titanosaurs until fairly late in the Cretaceous before disappearing from the fossil record, presumably going extinct. They have long tails and relatively short necks, by sauropod standards. Sidersaura one of the most recent rebbachisaurids yet found, living in the Cenomanian–Turonian ages of the Late Cretaceous. It was large for a rebbachisaurid, growing to about 20 m in length.

Sidersaura is a rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina. Rebbachisaurids are the last known dipldocoids, and lived alongside the titanosaurs until fairly late in the Cretaceous before disappearing from the fossil record, presumably going extinct. They have long tails and relatively short necks, by sauropod standards. Sidersaura one of the most recent rebbachisaurids yet found, living in the Cenomanian–Turonian ages of the Late Cretaceous. It was large for a rebbachisaurid, growing to about 20 m in length.

Argentina Cenomanian Cretaceous Late Cretaceous +6
Fossil of Mei long (holotype), on temporary display at the Shanghai Natural History Museum as part of the exhibition "China's Dinosaur World". Shot on July 22, 2025.
Taxa Mei

Fossil of Mei long (holotype), on temporary display at the Shanghai Natural History Museum as part of the exhibition "China's Dinosaur World". Shot on July 22, 2025.

museum China fossil holotype +1
Fossil specimen (IVPP V17903) of Corpulentapus lilasia on display at the Paleozoological Museum of China.
Taxa Corpulentapus

Fossil specimen (IVPP V17903) of Corpulentapus lilasia on display at the Paleozoological Museum of China.

museum China fossil specimen +1
Known fossil pieces after Aviatyrannis jurassica (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannosauroidea).[1]
Sources

↑ Rauhut O.W.M. (2003), "A tyrannosaurid dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal", Paleontology 46(5): p. 903-910.
Taxa Aviatyrannis

Known fossil pieces after Aviatyrannis jurassica (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannosauroidea).[1] Sources ↑ Rauhut O.W.M. (2003), "A tyrannosaurid dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal", Paleontology 46(5): p. 903-910.

Portugal Jurassic fossil Aviatyrannis +5
Datousaurus. Fossil in Shanghai Science & Technology Museum
Taxa Datousaurus

Datousaurus. Fossil in Shanghai Science & Technology Museum

museum fossil Datousaurus
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News

Bats may have first evolved in Europe 65 million years ago
flight fossil communication evolution mammals study
A huge genomic and fossil study suggests bats first evolved in Europe around 65 to 60 million years ago before spreading across the globe. The findings also indicate that flight and echolocation emerged near the beginning of bat evolution, potentially helping explain how bats became one of the most successful mammal groups on Earth.
30/09/2026 sciencedaily-paleo
New Dicynodont Taxon Could Transform the Timeline of Dinosaur Origins
Tanzania Triassic fossil Dinosauria new species
Scientists have described a new species of dicynodont from fossils discovered in Tanzania. These fossils could help palaeontologists refine the timeline for the origin of the dinosaurs. The new species has been named Dinodontosaurus isiyavamanda. It lived around 240 million years ago during the Triassic Period. Importantly, Dinodontosaurus was not a dinosaur.
29/09/2026 everythingdinosaur
This 245-million-year-old fossil still has its stomach and intestines
fossil discovery
A 245-million-year-old marine reptile fossil preserves an astonishing amount of detail, including its stomach, liver, and intestines. The discovery reveals that Austronaga minuta was highly adapted for swimming even though its digestive system remained surprisingly simple.
29/09/2026 sciencedaily
120-Million-Year-Old Fossil Pushes Back Origin of Marsupial Lineage
120-Million-Year-Old Fossil Pushes Back Origin of Marsupial Lineage
China fossil mammals new species
A new species of deltatheroidan mammal from China may be the oldest confirmed ancestor of marsupials yet found, offering fresh evidence that Asia played a central role in the deep evolutionary split between marsupials and placental mammals. The post 120-Million-Year-Old Fossil Pushes Back Origin of Marsupial Lineage appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
28/09/2026 sci-news
Scientists were wrong about this strange mammal for nearly 40 years
Mongolia Cretaceous fossil mammals
A beautifully preserved fossil from Mongolia’s Gobi Desert has solved a mystery that puzzled paleontologists for nearly 40 years. Tamirkhan balcarceli shows that zhelestids were not early relatives of modern placental mammals, despite having teeth that seemed to suggest they were. Instead, the rabbit-like animal belonged to a separate lineage of small Cretaceous mammals.
28/09/2026 sciencedaily
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