# 2025 in archosaur paleontology

This article records new taxa of fossil archosaurs of every kind that are scheduled described during the year 2025, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleontology of archosaurs that are scheduled to occur in the year 2025.
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## Pseudosuchians
### New pseudosuchian taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes |
| Kuttysuchus | Gen. et sp. nov | | Haldar, Ray & Bandyopadhyay | Late Triassic | Lower Dharmaram Formation | India | An aetosaur belonging to the tribe Paratypothoracini. The type species is K. minori. |
| Pattisaura | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wu et al. | Late Triassic | Cooper Canyon Formation | United States ( Texas) | An early member of Crocodylomorpha. The type species is P. gracilis. |
| Thilastikosuchus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Carvalho et al. | Early Cretaceous | Quiricó Formation | Brazil | A notosuchian. The type species is T. scutorectangularis. |

### General pseudosuchian research

* Fitch, Kammerer & Nesbitt (2025) describe femora of poposauroids similar to Poposaurus gracilis from the Cumnock and Pekin formations (Chatham Group; North Carolina, United States), expanding known geographical range of Late Triassic poposauroids.
* McDavid (2025) discusses the validity and authorship of the name Prestosuchus, considering the name Huenesuchus a junior synonym.

### Aetosaur research

* A study on the histology of osteoderms of Stagonolepis olenkae is published by Błaszczeć & Antczak (2025).

### Crocodylomorph research

* A study on bone histology of Trialestes romeri, providing evidence of a rapid growth rate, is published by Ponce, Cerda & Desojo (2025).
* A study on the biodiversity of thalattosuchians throughout their evolutionary history, attempting to identify factors driving thalattosuchian evolution, is published by Forêt et al. (2025).
* Redescription of Macrospondylus bollensis is published by Johnson et al. (2025).
* A study on metabolic rates of notosuchians, providing evidence of mass-independent maximal metabolic rates that were higher than those of extant crocodilians but lower than those of monitor lizards, in published by Sena et al. (2025).
* The first histological study of appendicular bones of a peirosaurid is published by Navarro et al. (2025), who interpret their findings as indicative of different growth dynamics of the studied individual compared to other notosuchians.
* Kuzmin et al. (2025) describe the braincase osteology and neuroanatomy of Paralligator, and interpret their findings as indicative of similarity of brain modifications during ontogeny in paralligatorids and extant crocodilians.
* A study on the anatomy and affinities of the first specimens of Borealosuchus from earliest Paleocene of Colorado, filling temporal and geographical gaps in the fossil record of members of the genus, is published by Lessner, Petermann & Lyson (2025).
* Evidence from the study of the bone histology of Diplocynodon hantoniensis, interpreted as indicative of a similar growth rate in D. hantoniensis and the American alligator, is published by Hoffman et al. (2025).
* Description of the anatomy of the inner skull cavities of Diplocynodon tormis is published by Serrano-Martínez et al. (2025).
* Pligersdorffer, Burke & Mannion (2025) reconstruct the endocranial anatomy of Argochampsa krebsi, and report evidence of presence of salt glands in the studied gavialoid.
* Evidence of variability of the skull morphology of extant Nile crocodiles and broad-snouted crocodilians from the Paleogene strata in the Faiyum Governorate and Miocene strata from the Wadi Moghra site (Egypt) is presented by El-Degwi et al. (2025).

## Non-avian dinosaurs
### New dinosaur taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Ahvaytum | Gen. et sp. nov | | Lovelace et al. | Late Triassic (Carnian) | Popo Agie Formation | United States ( Wyoming) | An early saurischian, possibly a basal sauropodomorph. The type species is A. bahndooiveche. |
| Archaeocursor | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Yao et al. | Early Jurassic (Sinemurian–Pliensbachian) | Ziliujing Formation | China | A basal ornithischian. The type species is A. asiaticus. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025. |
| Chadititan | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Agnolín et al. | Late Cretaceous (Campanian) | Anacleto Formation | Argentina | A rinconsaurian titanosaur. The type species is C. calvoi. |
| Dzharacursor | Gen. et comb. nov | | Averianov & Sues | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | Bissekty Formation | Uzbekistan | An ornithomimid theropod. The type species is "Archaeornithomimus" bissektensis Nesov (1995). |
| Emiliasaura | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Coria et al. | Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) | Mulichinco Formation | Argentina | An ornithopod belonging to the group Rhabdodontomorpha. The type species is E. alessandrii. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025. |
| Huadanosaurus | Gen. et sp. nov | | Qiu et al. | Early Cretaceous (Barremian) | Yixian Formation | China | A compsognathid-like theropod belonging to the group Sinosauropterygidae. The type species is H. sinensis. |
| Mexidracon | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Serrano-Brañas et al. | Late Cretaceous (Campanian) | Cerro del Pueblo Formation | Mexico | An ornithomimid theropod. The type species is M. longimanus. |
| Petrustitan | Gen. et comb. nov | | Díez Díaz et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Sînpetru Formation | Romania | A titanosaur sauropod. The type species is "Magyarosaurus" hungaricus Huene (1932). |
| Qianjiangsaurus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dai et al. | Late Cretaceous | Zhengyang Formation | China | An early-diverging hadrosauromorph. The type species is Q. changshengi. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025. |
| Sinosauropteryx lingyuanensis | Sp. nov | | Qiu et al. | Early Cretaceous (Barremian) | Yixian Formation | China | A compsognathid-like theropod; a species of Sinosauropteryx. |
| Tameryraptor | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kellermann, Cuesta & Rauhut | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Bahariya Formation | Egypt | A carcharodontosaurid theropod. The type species is T. markgrafi. |
| Uriash | Gen. et sp. nov | | Díez Díaz et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Densuș-Ciula Formation | Romania | A titanosaur sauropod. The type species is U. kadici. |
| Xingxiulong yueorum | Sp. nov | | Chen et al. | Early Jurassic | Lufeng Formation | China | A massopodan sauropodomorph; a species of Xingxiulong. |
| Yuanyanglong | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Hao et al. | Early Cretaceous | Miaogou Formation | China | An oviraptorosaurian theropod. The type species is Y. bainian. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025. |

### General non-avian dinosaur research

* Heath et al. (2025) use historical biogeographic estimation methods to estimate the distribution of early dinosaurs and their relatives, and consider low-latitude Gondwana to be the most likely area of origin of dinosaurs, and possibly of archosaurs in general.
* Review of sources of information about dinosaur locomotion, and of studies of dinosaur locomotion from the preceding years, is published by Falkingham (2025).
* Review of studies of dinosaur reproduction and ontogeny, and of challenges in the studies of dinosaur reproductive biology, is published by Chapelle, Griffin & Pol (2025).
* Schweitzer et al. (2025) study the composition of vascular-like microstructures isolated from dinosaur fossils from the Judith River and Hell Creek formations, and interpret their findings as supporting endogeneity of the studied structures, but also report the presence of microorganismal components in the studied samples.
* Review of the fossil record of Triassic-Jurassic dinosaurs and other reptiles from the Connecticut Valley (Connecticut and Massachusetts, United States) is published by Galton, Regalado Fernández & Farlow (2025), who consider Ammosaurus major to be a separate taxon from Anchisaurus polyzelus.
* Deiques et al. (2025) report the discovery of new dinosaur tracks from the Upper Jurassic Guará Formation (Brazil), including second record of an ankylosaur track and the best preserved theropod track from the formation reported to date.
* A study on habitat preferences of Campanian and Maastrichtian dinosaurs from south-western Europe is published by Vázquez López et al. (2025).

### Saurischian research

* A study on the purported swimming sauropod trail from the Mayan Dude Ranch tracksite in the Lower Cretaceous Glen Rose Formation (Texas, United States), as well as on the second manus-dominated sauropod trackway and on the theropod track from the same track horizon, is published by Adams et al. (2025), who interpret the studied tracks as unlikely to be produced by dinosaurs that buoyed in deep water.
* A tooth of a theropod distinct from Sinotyrannus, as well as a titanosauriform tooth representing the youngest sauropod fossil from the Jehol Biota reported to date, are described from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation (China) by Yin et al. (2025).

#### Theropod research

* Piñuela et al. (2025) report the discovery of a theropod footprint preserved with a detached sandstone undertrack from the Upper Jurassic Lastres Formation (Spain), providing evidence of foot movement through the sediment and evidence of changes of footprint morphology at different levels of sediment depth, with some of the successive footprint outlines showing similarities to footprints of members of different dinosaur groups; the authors also reevaluate the type series of the ichnotaxon Iguanodontipus, and argue that some of the studied footprints might have been produced by a theropod.
* A study on bone histology of Ceratosaurus, providing evidence of faster growth rate than in Late Cretaceous members of Ceratosauria, is published by Sombathy, O'Connor & D'Emic (2025).
* A study on the maxillary shape of abelisaurids and its relation to feeding ecology is published by Seculi Pereyra et al. (2025), who find evidence of morphological similarities between the maxillae of Spectrovenator and Late Cretaceous abelisaurids, interpreted as likely to be specialist hunters holding and killing prey with their jaws.
* Redescription of the anatomy of the appendicular skeleton of Piatnitzkysaurus floresi and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of this species is published by Pradelli, Pol & Ezcurra (2025).
* Kotevski et al. (2025) describe new fossil material of theropods from the Lower Cretaceous Strzelecki Group and Eumeralla Formation (Australia), including the first carcharodontosaurian fossils from Australia, bones of large-bodied megaraptorids and a tibia of a member of Unenlagiinae.
* Calvo et al. (2025) report the first discovery of the humerus of an adult specimen of Megaraptor namunhuaiquii from the Upper Cretaceous Portezuelo Formation (Argentina), and interpret its anatomy as indicating that M. namunhuaiquii and Gualicho shinyae were not closely related.
* A study on the evolution of adaptations to cursoriality in the hindlimbs of theropod dinosaurs and on the origin of arctometatarsus in members of Coelurosauria is published by Kubo & Kobayashi (2025)
* Scherer (2025) reeavulates evidence for anagenesis in tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurids, and recovers species belonging to the genus Daspletosaurus as forming an evolutionary grade within Tyrannosaurinae, but does not recover Daspletosaurus as a direct ancestor of Tyrannosaurini.
* Meso et al. (2025) revise alvarezsaurid fossils from the Salitral Ojo de Agua locality (Allen Formation; Río Negro Province, Argentina) described by Salgado et al. (2009) and an alvarezsaurid femur from the same locality originally described as an ornithopod femur by Coria, Cambiaso & Salgado (2007), describe additional alvarezsaurid material from this locality, and interpret the studied fossils as likely bones of Bonapartenykus ultimus, providing new information on the body plan of members of Patagonykinae.
* Zhu et al. (2025) report the discovery of clutch of elongatoolithid eggs from the Upper Cretaceous Qiupa Formation (China), possibly produced by Yulong mini.
* Foster, Norell & Balanoff (2025) describe two new specimens of Conchoraptor gracilis from the Barun Goyot Formation (Mongolia), present an updated diagnosis for Conchoraptor and differentiate C. gracilis from both Heyuannia yanshini and Khaan mckennai.

#### Sauropodomorph research

* Peyre de Fabrègues et al. (2025) describe new fossil material of Leyesaurus marayensis from the Balde de Leyes Formation (Argentina) and revise the anatomy of the holotype specimen of this species, identifying the holotype as a likely juvenile specimen.
* Toefy, Krupandan & Chinsamy (2025) study the bone histology of two sauropodiform specimens and one early sauropod from the Elliot Formation (South Africa), providing evidence that the three studied specimens underwent rapid growth but differed in the duration of uninterrupted growth, and argue that the change of growth dynamics throughout the evolutionary history of sauropodomorphs was more complex than a simple progression from slow, interrupted growth to fast, uinterrupted growth.
* Description of the anatomy of the appendicular skeleton of Bagualia alba is published by Gomez et al. (2025), who also study morphological diversity of sauropodomorphs throughout their evolutionary history, and report evidence of shifts in morphospace occupation during the Jurassic related to the diversification of early sauropods and extinction of other sauropodomorphs, as well as to subsequent diversification of Neosauropoda.
* Saleiro & Tschopp (2025) describe a previously unstudied collection of sauropod teeth from the Upper Jurassic strata in Portugal, identified as belonging to members of Turiasauria, Flagellicaudata, Camarasauridae and Titanosauriformes.
* A revision of the known material assigned to the genus Haplocanthosaurus is published by Boisvert et al. (2025).
* A study on the morphology of teeth, their replacement process and possible feeding ecology of Bajadasaurus pronuspinax is published by Garderes (2025).
* Redescription of Liaoningotitan sinensis is published by Shan (2025).
* Fossil material of lithostrotian titanosaurs assigned to two morphotypes, including caudal vertebrae preserved with rare pathological features, is described from the Upper Cretaceous Cambambe Basin (Brazil) by Lacerda et al. (2025).

### Ornithischian research

* Romilio et al. (2025) describe new ornithischian footprints from the Lower Jurassic Precipice Sandstone (Queensland, Australia), and reaffirm the prevalence of ornithischian footprints across the Early Jurassic dinosaur tracksites from Australia.

#### Thyreophoran research

* Rivera-Sylva et al. (2025) describe new fossil material of members of Ankylosauria from the Upper Cretaceous strata in Coahuila (Mexico), including fossils from the Maastrichtian Cañon del Tule Formation representing the youngest records of the group from Mexico reported to date.
* Álvarez Nogueira et al. (2025) report fragmentary remains of a possible parankylosaurian from the Allen Formation (Argentina), likely representing a taxon distinct from the coeval Patagopelta.

#### Cerapod research

* Maidment et al. (2025) describe a fragmentary femur from the Middle Jurassic El Mers III Formation (Morocco) representing the oldest known fossil of a cerapodan dinosaur.
* A partial skeleton of a possible cerapodan dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic Kilmaluag Formation (United Kingdom) is described by Panciroli et al. (2025), representing the most complete non-avian dinosaur fossil found from Scotland to date.
* Maíllo et al. (2025) study bone histology of a partial skeleton of a subadult ornithopod individual from the Cretaceous Maestrazgo Basin (Spain), providing evidence of variability of histology of bone elements used for studies of the skeletochronology of ornithopod specimens, depending on the studied taxon.
* Description of a well-preserved skull of a juvenile specimen of Jeholosaurus shangyuanensis from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (China) and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of this species is published by Bertozzo et al. (2025).
* Guillermo-Ochoa et al. (2025) describe a track of a small ornithopod from the Albian-Turonian Arcurquina Formation (Peru), likely produced during an underwater locomotion.
* Devereaux et al. (2025) describe the cranial endocast of Fostoria dhimbangunmal.
* A hadrosauroid humerus representing the oldest record of a member of the group from the Transylvanian Basin reported to date is described from the Campanian Sebeș Formation (Romania) by Ebner et al. (2025).
* Partial skeleton of a hadrosaurid interpreted as the first member of the tribe Lambeosaurini reported from the Upper Cretaceous strata from South China is described from the Dalangshan Formation by Wang et al. (2025)
* Wroblewski (2025) describes fossil material of Stygimoloch spinifer from the Maastrichtian Ferris Formation (Wyoming, United States), representing the southernmost record of the species reported to date.
* Enriquez et al. (2025) compare scale growth in Chasmosaurus belli, Prosaurolophus maximus and extant reptiles, and find that scale shapes were mostly retained through growth in the studied taxa.

## Birds
### New bird taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Apus boanoi | Sp. nov | | Pavia et al. | Pliocene | Langebaanweg | South Africa | A swift, a species of Apus |
| Australarus | Gen. et sp. nov | | De Pietri et al. | Miocene | Bannockburn Formation | New Zealand | A member of the family Laridae. The type species is A. bakeri. |
| Baminornis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Chen et al. | Late Jurassic (Tithonian) | Nanyuan Formation | China | An early avialan bearing a pygostyle. The type species is B. zhenghensis. |
| Miolarus | Gen. et sp. nov | | De Pietri et al. | Miocene | Bannockburn Formation | New Zealand | A member of the family Laridae. The type species is M. rectirostrum. |
| Novavis | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | O'Connor et al. | Early Cretaceous | Xiagou Formation | China | A enantiornithean. The type species is N. pubisculata. |
| ?Pseudocrypturus danielsi | Sp. nov | Valid | Mayr & Kitchener | Eocene (Ypresian) | London Clay | United Kingdom | A member of the family Lithornithidae; a species of Pseudocrypturus. |
| ?Pseudocrypturus gracilipes | Sp. nov | Valid | Mayr & Kitchener | Eocene (Ypresian) | London Clay | United Kingdom | A member of the family Lithornithidae; a species of Pseudocrypturus. |
| Shuilingornis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wang et al. | Early Cretaceous | Jiufotang Formation | China | A euornithean in the family Gansuidae. The type species is S. angelai. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025. |

### Avian research

* Review of the Mesozoic fossil record of avian soft tissue traces is published by O'Connor (2025).
* A study on the evolution of the ability of birds to move parts of the skull independently is published by Wilken et al. (2025), who link the appearance of this ability to changes of skeletal anatomy and musculature related to the expansion of neurocranium.
* New specimen of Archaeopteryx, representing the third specimen belonging to this genus found in the Tithonian Mörnsheim Formation (Germany), is described by Foth et al. (2025).
* A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic affinities of Iberomesornis romerali is published by Castro-Terol et al. (2025).
* A study on the bone histology of Avimaia schweitzerae, Novavis pubisculata and Qiliania graffini is published by Atterholt, O'Connor & You (2025).
* A bird trackway with similarities to tracks produced by herons is described from the Cenomanian Dunvegan Formation (British Columbia, Canada) by Lockley, Plint & Helm (2025).
* Evidence from the study of moa coprolites, indicating that moa ate and likely spread truffle-like fungi that are endemic to New Zealand, is presented by Boast et al. (2025).
* Torres et al. (2025) report the discovery of a new, nearly complete skull of Vegavis iaai, interpret its morphology as supporting phylogenetic affinities of Vegavis with Anseriformes, and report evidence of the presence of a feeding apparatus different from those of extant members of Anseriformes but similar to those of extant birds that capture prey underwater.
* Zonneveld, Naone & Britt (2025) describe foraging traces produced by waterbirds (possibly by Presbyornis pervetus) from the Eocene Green River Formation (Utah, United States), and name new ichnotaxa Erevnoichnus blochis, E. strimmena, Ravdosichnus guntheri and Aptosichnus diatarachi.
* Evidence from the fossil material of great bustards from the Grotte des Pigeons/Taforalt cave site (Morocco), indicating that great bustards were breeding in the studied area during the Late Pleistocene and that they were exploited by people who occupied the site, is presented by Cooper et al. (2025).
* Fossil plumage of a griffon vulture preserved in three dimensions is described from the Pleistocene strata of the Colli Albani volcanic complex (Italy) by Rossi et al. (2025).
* A study on the bone histology of Brontornis burmeisteri and Patagornis marshi is published by Garcia Marsà et al. (2025).
* Agnolin, Chafrat & Álvarez-Herrera (2025) describe new fossil material of Patagorhacos terrificus from the Miocene Chichinales Formation (Argentina), interpreted as supporting placement of the species within Phorusrhacidae.
* Marqueta et al. (2025) describe bird assemblages from the Pleistocene levels of the Galls Carboners and Cudó caves (Spain), reporting evidence of presence of the pine grosbeak or a similar bird, which is no longer present in the study area.

## Pterosaurs
### New pterosaur taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Darwinopterus camposi | Sp. nov | Valid | Cheng et al. | Jurassic | Tiaojishan Formation | China | |
| Infernodrakon | Gen. et sp. nov | | Thomas et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Hell Creek Formation | United States ( Montana) | A member of the family Azhdarchidae. The type species is I. hastacollis. |
| Nipponopterus | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Zhou et al. | Late Cretaceous | Mifune Group | Japan | A member of the family Azhdarchidae. The type species is N. mifunensis. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025. |

### Pterosaur research

* Evidence of higher laminarity rates of wing bones of pterosaurs compared to their hindlimb bones is presented by Araújo et al. (2025).
* Hone & McDavid (2025) describe the largest known specimen of Rhamphorhynchus muensteri (wingspan 1.8 metres (5.9 ft)) from the Solnhofen Limestone (Germany) and discuss its implications for anatomical transformations through ontogeny in the genus and other rhamphorhynchines.
* Jagielska et al. (2025) describe the osteology of Dearc sgiathanach and reconstruct its cranial and antebrachial musculature.
* A ctenochasmatid mandible representing the first finding of a pterodactyloid pterosaur fossil from the Upper Jurassic (Tithonian) Portland Limestone Formation (United Kingdom) is described by Smith & Martill (2025).
* Bennett (2025) revises Gnathosaurus subulatus and interprets both "Pterodactylus" micronyx and Aurorazhdarcho primordius as junior synonyms of this species.
* A study on tooth replacement in Forfexopterus is published by Zhou & Fan (2025).
* Redescription and a study on the affinities of Herbstosaurus pigmaeus is published by Ezcurra et al. (2025).
* Song et al. (2025) describe a pterosaur humerus from the Lower Cretaceous Lianmuqin Formation (China), interpreted as the first record of a member of Ornithocheiromorpha from the Tugulu Group.

## Other archosaurs
### Other new archosaur taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes | Images |
| Gondwanax | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Müller | Middle–Late Triassic (Ladinian–early Carnian) | Pinheiros-Chiniquá Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence | Brazil | A sulcimentisaurian member of the possibly paraphyletic family Silesauridae. The type species is G. paraisensis. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025. | |

### Other archosaur research

* Garcia & Müller (2025) revise the fossil record of probable pterosaur precursors from the Triassic strata of the Candelária Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence (Brazil) and study their phylogenetic affinities, recovering lagerpetids as an evolutionary grade ancestral to pterosaurs.

## General research

* Evidence from the study of bone pneumaticity in extant birds, indicating that studies of skeletal pneumaticity in extinct archosaurs that don't take soft tissues in the internal bone cavities into account might overestimate the volume fraction of pneumatic bones that was composed of air, is presented by Burton et al. (2025).
* Xu & Barrett (2025) review the research on the evolutionary history of feathers from the preceding years.
* Hedge et al. (2025) revise archosaur eggshells from the Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation (Utah, United States), and identify remains of eggs produced by oviraptorosaur theropods, ornithopods and a crocodylomorph.
* Brown et al. (2025) describe a cervical vertebra of a juvenile specimen of Cryodrakon boreas from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada), preserved with a bite mark interpreted as likely produced by a crocodilian.