recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Pectinodon

*Pectinodon* is an extinct genus of troodontid dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous in Wyoming.

## Description

Kenneth Carpenter (1982) named some theropod teeth from the Late Maastrichtian of the Lance Formation, Wyoming as *Pectinodon bakkeri*, derived from the Latin pecten, "comb" and odon, "tooth" (referencing the comb-like serrations at the rear edge, and the specific epithet after Robert Bakker). UCM 38445, a 6.2-millimeter-long adult tooth, is the holotype; 3 juvenile teeth are paratypes. Lev Nesov (1985) named *P. asiamericanus* from CCMGE 49/12176, a tooth from the Khodzhakul Formation of the Cenomanian-aged Uzbekistan, often considered to be a nomen dubium today.

It is historically considered synonymous with *Troodon formosus*, with Phillip Currie et al. (1990) noted P. bakkeri from the Lance and Hell Creek Formations might be separate speciees. George Olshevsky (1991) assigned the Lance specimens to *Troodon*. Zanno et al. (2011) reviewed the history of troodontids, following Longrich (2008), treating *P. bakkeri* as valid, noting many specimens assigned *Troodon* were likely different taxa, with a more thorough review required.

Currie and Derek Larson (2013) concluded *P. bakkeri* is valid and spanned both the Laramie and Hell Creek Formations. Teeth from the older Dinosaur Park Formation could not be differentiated, probably due to an insufficient sample, and were assigned cf. *Pectinodon*. However, it has been theorized that a new species of *Pectinodon* may actually be in Dinosaur Park after all. USNM V8295 is a dermal cranial bone discovered in 1909 from the Lance Formation and called *Troodon* sp. by the Smithsonian.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectinodon
* https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0054329
* https://twitter.com/TomHoltzPaleo/status/1476609125425553409
* https://www.si.edu/object/troodon-sp%3Anmnhpaleobiology\_3441076
Palaeocycnus

Credit: Nix Illustration.

*Palaeocycnus* is a dubious and obsolete genus of swan that lived in Malta and Sicily during the Middle Pleistocene.

## History

*"Palaeocycnus"* was first proposed by Leonard Stejneger (1822) to fit the species *Cygnus falconeri* during a revision of Anatidae, splitting *Cygnus* species into 5 genera. No species or description was listed, and later analyses found no reason to split it from *Cygnus*. Thus, the name *Palaeocycnus* fell into obscurity.

## References

* https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/12461/USNMP-5\_275\_1882.pdf?sequence=1
* https://books.google.ca/books?id=oIGCSH7xOQEC
* http://www.theswansanctuary.org.uk/cause/giant-maltese-swan-cygnus-falconeri-or-palaeocycnus/
Myliobatis pachyodon

*Myliobatis pachyodon* is an extinct species of ray that lived in Maryland during the Miocene.

## Description

Cope notes that this taxon would of been of large size, approaching *M. holmesii* and "*M. reglianus*". From the former, it differs in the median tooth series being transverse, curved and the inferior laminae lacking V-shaped grooves; from the latter in the median teeth having a depth that is half deeper than its length and a larger transverse convexity. It was named from a specimen that preserves the lateral of the 4 median and 1 of the lateral teeth. The former only equals the degree to which the vaso-dentinal layer is deep. The larger than broad lateral teeth are not arranged in 2 lateral rows, unlike other species.

## References

* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=80580
* https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4059641.pdf
Orientornis

Skeletal reconstruction by Skye McDavid

*Orientornis* is an extinct genus of large terrestrial Struthionid birds that lived in Gansu, China during the Miocene.

## Discovery and Naming

Both known specimens of *Orientornis* was discovered around 2005 by a paleomammology team from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in the Linxia basin in Gansu Province, Northwestern China. Linxia is famous for its fossils of mammals. In August 2005, Hou Lianhai and coauthors described the new species *Struthio linxiaensis*, placing it in the same genus as modern ostriches. In 2008, S. Wang determined it was distinct enough from the type species *Struthio camelus* to warrant its own genus and erected the new genus *Orientornis* with the new combination *Orientornis linxiaensis*. It is closely related to modern ostriches and would have resembled them in life, but being slightly larger. The specific epithet means "from Linxia".

## Specimens

* HMV 1381, the holotype, a partial pelvis and synsacrum housed in the Hezheng Paleozoological Museum in Hezheng, Gansu.
* IVPP V14399, the paratype, a partial pelvis and synsacrum housed at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, an affiliate of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in Beijing.

## References

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orientornis
2. ↑ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1360/982005-575
Paleosuchus

This page is about a genus that contains extinct and extant species; species marked with † are extinct.

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

*Paleosuchus* is a genus of caimans that has lived in South America since the Middle Miocene.

## Classification

The genus contains 2 extant species, and one unnamed fossil species. The common name "smooth-fronted caimans" is sometimes applied to the entire genus but more accurately refers to the species *P. trigonatus*.

## Species

* *P. trigonatus* (smooth-fronted caiman)
* *P. palpebrosus* (Cuvier's dwarf caiman)
* †*P. sp. nov.*

## References

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleosuchus
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuvier%27s\_dwarf\_caiman
3. ↑ https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2014.2490
Pachypleurosaurus

*Pachypleurosaurus* is a dubious genus of nothosaurid that lived in Europe during the Triassic Period.

## Description

*Pachypleurosaurus* was a nothosaur, with hindlimbs very unspecialized for swimming, unlike their ancestors (plesiosaurs and placodonts). Undulations in the backbone provided propulsion through water. It was a marine animal, likely feeding on fish and small invertebrates. The genus was moved into *Neusticosaurus*[*citation needed*].

## References

https://fossil.fandom.com/wiki/Pachypleurosaurus
Oak tree

This page is about a genus that contains extinct and extant species; species marked with † are extinct.

## Statistics

### Location

Worldwide

An oak tree, scientifically known as *Quercus*, is a genus of tree that has lived from the Eocene to present day.

## Classification

*Quercus* from the Late Cretaceous deposits of North America and eastern Asia are reported, but are not known to be for certain. A fossil record survey for the genus *Quercus* concluded pre-Paleogene, possibly including pre-Eocene, occurrences of *Quercus* macroremains are typically known by poorly-preserved fossils that lack defining characteristics needed to allow for classification. Thus, they should be treated cautiously. The oldest undisputed records are Eocene-aged, around 45 million years old.

Species are classified under subgenera and sections, often displayed like this:

* *Quercus (Quercus)*
	+ *Cerris*
	+ *Mesobalanus*
	+ *Protobalanus*
	+ *Lobatae* (=*Erythrobalanus*)
* *Cyclobalanopsis*

## Species

Since there are over 500 species of extant Quercus, only extinct species are listed here.

* †*Q. asymmetrica*
* †*Q. berryi*
* †*Q. browni*
* †*Q. convexa*
* †*Q. declinata*
* †*Q. dispersa*
* †*Q. eoxalapensis*
* †*Q. macneilii*
* †*Q. mohavensi*
* †*Q. oberlii*
* †*Q. pliopalmeri*
* †*Q. pseudowestfalica*
* †*Q. sullyi*
* †*Q. sumterensis*
* †*Q. turneri*
* †*Q. yulensis*
* †*Q. furuhjelmi*
* †*Q. hiholensis*
* †*Q. tibetensis*

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_Quercus\_species
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus\_furuhjelmi
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus\_hiholensis
* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=54594
* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308971239\_Xu\_et\_al\_2016\_Quercus\_tibet\_fossil
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_Quercus\_species
Pandoravenator

Credit: Cisiopurple on DeviantArt.

*Pandoravenator* is an extinct genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in Patagonia during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

*Pandoravenator* fossils are found in the locality Caja de Pandora (Pondora's box) of the Cañadón Calcáreo Formation, specifically a fragmentary postcranial skeleton. From these remains, *Pandoravenator* was named and described by Oliver Rauhut and Diego Pol in 2017.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandoravenator
Myliobatis leognanensis

*Myliobatis leognanensis* is an extinct species of ray that lived in France during the Late Miocene.

## Description

Remains are known from Léognan, 33, from-which it gets it's epithet. It was named based on a pharyngeal plaque fragment. The external surface is flat, and smooth lacking median chevrons at the ant- and posterior, having 3 rafters in the midsection that form a single row at the side walls. On this wall, wearing is so extensive that it is impossible to differentiate it's shape as well as this union. The internal surface, like it's counterpart, is flat, and the median rafters are very straight and clearly separate. The lateral elbows are irregular and hexagonal-shaped, having roots that branch into four ends.

## References

1. ↑ https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=431461
2. ↑ https://archive.org/details/DelfortrieE.1871-Ichthyologie-LesBroyeursDuTertiaireAquitanien/page/n27/mode/2up
Mussentuchit Orodromine

The Mussentuchit Orodromine is an unnamed genus of Thescelosaurid dinosaur that lived in Utah during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

The Orodromine is known from several individuals, acounting for various ontogenetic stages of the taxon. Cranial elements include: "braincase, dentary, frontal, lacrimal, palpebral, parietal, prefrontal, premaxilla, prootic, pterygoid, quadrate, squamosal, and surangular." It differs from other known Orodromines in the morphology of the quadrate. The well perserved nature of the skull material allowed for the identification of a foramen on the dorsal surface of the prefrontal near the dorsomedial margin of the supraorbital boss, as well as a dorsolaterally directed process on the lateral surface of the surangular, both previously proposed autapomorphies of Thescelosaurus, demonstrating these characters were more widespread among Thescelosaurid than previously thought.

## References

"THE CRANIAL ANATOMY OF A NEW ORODROMINE FROM THE CENOMANIAN-AGED MUSSENTUCHIT MEMBER OF THE CEDAR MOUNTAIN FORMATION, UTAH" Avrahami, Haviv M., Makovicky, Peter J., Zanno, Lindsay E. SVP Abstracts (2020) https://vertpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SVP\_2020\_Program-Abstracts-Volume-FINAL-for-Publishing-1.27.2021.pdf (pg 66)
Morinosaurus

Credit: Jack Wood.

*Morinosaurus* is a possibly dubious genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in France during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

*Morinosaurus* is known from Boulogne-sur-Mer, Départment du Pas-de-Calais, France. It was named from teeth that are sometimes referred to *Pelorosaurus*, a wastebasket taxon. It is named after the Morini people of north France. H.E. Sauvage assigned a worn tooth as the holotype, which is now lost and comparable to *Hypselosaurus*. Sauvage suggests a partial right humerus is part of the type individual. It may have belonged to a titanosaurian or diplodocoid-like dinosaur with similar feeding habits. Tooth crowns are 50 millimeters.

## References

* https://www.mindat.org/taxon-4823014.html
* https://a-dinosaur-a-day.com/post/142307930050/morinosaurus
* https://www.gbif.org/species/4823014
* https://www.morebooks.de/store/gb/book/morinosaurus/isbn/978-613-9-17938-1
Microsyops

*Microsyops* is an extinct genus of basal primate that lived in North America during the Middle Eocene.

## Description

*Microsyops* is known from skulls, most notably mandibles and teeth. Analysis on the skulls shows that *Microsyops* shows adaptations that indicate an improved sense of smell. This feature is one that other archaic primates lack.

## Paleoecology

*Microsyops* primarily dwelled in trees, eating insects.
Pezosiren

Credit: Satoshi Kawasaki.

*Pezosiren* is an extinct genus of basal sirenian that lived in Jamaica during the Early Eocene.

## Description

*Pezosiren* is known from a single specimen, from beds with animals like a basal rhinoceros and possibly even a basal primate. Among these animals is *Pezosiren*, which is a semi-aquatic legged sirenian. The beds in which *Pezosiren* fossils are found preserve hundreds of isolated fragments attributed to *Pezosiren*. The fragments are thought to represent a single taxon, From these isolated bones, a nearly complete skeleton has been determined, only missing part of the tail and the feet. It is the first known quadrupedal sirenian, possessing limbs adapted for terrestrial locomotion, the skull, teeth and ribs are similar to modern forms. *Pezosiren* is about 2 meters long (the size of the average pig), depending on the actual length of the animals tail. Some paleontologists argue that *Pezosiren* used its tail for propelling itself into the water (based on the vertebrae), using its hind limbs to paddle like otters.
Parotodus

Credit: Jaime Bran on DeviantArt.

*Parotodus*, the false mako or hooked megatooth, is an extinct genus of mackerel shark that lived in North America, Africa, Asia and Europe from the Eocene to the Quaternary.

## History

*Parotodus* fossil records range from the Eocene to the Quaternary (15.97-0.781 million years ago) in Spain, Egypt, Japan, the United States, Italy, Madagascar and Malta. *P. benedeni* from the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History were collected from the Austin Sand Pit, South Carolina. These are 1.8-1.1 million years old, from the Waccamaw Formation. It is closely related to *Carcharocles* and *Otodus*.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parotodus
* https://twitter.com/CofCNatHistory/status/1450494702361485317
* https://twitter.com/CofCNatHistory/status/1472624565994115081/photo/1
* https://incertaesedisblog.wordpress.com/2022/08/24/the-oligocene-parotodus/
Pakicetus

Credit: sciencesource

*Pakicetus*, extinct genus of early cetacean mammals that lived in Pakistan during the Early Eocene.

## Description

*Pakicetus* is one of the earliest whales and the first cetacean discovered with functional legs. In addition, it still retained many other features of terrestrial mammals, including an auditory system that was better for hearing in air than in water, a dentition not unlike that of its closest terrestrial relatives, such as the mesonychids, and functional feet capable of locomotion on land. The body mass of *Pakicetus* was estimated at 45 kg (100 pounds), roughly the size of a wolf or large dog. The dentition of the animal indicates that it had a diet primarily of fish; however, its skeleton and skull suggest that it spent a considerable amount of time on land. The climate of the early Eocene Epoch (56 million to 40 million years ago) was the warmest of the Cenozoic Era, nearly 10 °C (18 °F) warmer than the global average of the present day. Whales evolved during the Eocene in the warm, shallow tropical Tethys Sea, which lay sandwiched between the mainland of Asia and Europe to the north and Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, and the Indian subcontinent to the south. Most archaeocetes (first cetaceans) lived in the Tethys or along its margins. *Pakicetus* fossils, which include many broken teeth, skulls, and skeletons, were found in the Kuldana Formation in Pakistan, a site that was located near the northern edge of the Tethys Sea during the Eocene. The later descendants of *Pakicetus* were fully aquatic. Modern whales are descended from the archaeocete basilosaurids, a group of toothed whales that had extremely long bodies and tails. The archaeocete basilosaurids appeared later in the Eocene and early Oligocene (34 million to 23 million years ago) and lived in the Tethys Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

## References

* https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/on-exhibit-posts/the-first-whale-pakicetus
* https://www.britannica.com/animal/Pakicetus
* https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/on-exhibit-posts/the-first-whale-pakicetus
Sialomorpha

*Sialomorpha*, given the nickname "mold pig", is an extinct genus of incertae sedis Panarthropod that lived in the Caribbean during the Early Oligocene.

## Description

*Sialomorpha* shows resemblance to mites and tardigrades. *Sialomorpha* was discovered in a block off Dominican amber, and measures about 100 micrometers long. *Sialomorpha* likely grew in size by molting its exoskeleton. *Sialomorpha* was probably an omnivore; eating fungi, mold and small invertebrates.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sialomorpha
Phanagoroloxodon

Credit: Dibgd on DeviantArt.

*Phanagoroloxodon* is an extinct genus of elephant that lived in Russia during the Early Pleistocene.

## Description

The animal is known from a single skull lacking tusks and a mandible. The genus is largely unknown, being first described in several scientific papers, but ignored by western paleontologists. The elephant may have been covered in fur, due to the frigid climate of Pleistocene Russia. *Phanagoroloxodon* was originally published in 1957 by Garutt

## History

*Phanagoroloxodon* is a combination of the Russian town Phanagora, and *Loxodonta* (specialized as loxodon), the genus name for African elephants. The name *Phanagoroloxodon* is disputed in terms of validity; some think it is unresolved, awaiting further research, and others claim it is valid.

## References

* https://www.deviantart.com/dibgd/art/Phanagoroloxodon-mammontoides-200079083

* https://www.gbif.org/species/162914690/verbatim

* http://bionames.org/references/4d51cac4cde647a2e6eb0e76302f4bbc

* https://eol.org/pages/56466916/names
Neimongosaurus

Credit: FunkMonk on the Wikimedia Commons.

*Neimongosaurus* is an extinct genus of therizosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous

## History

*Neimongosaurus* is known from the holotype LH V0001 and a paratype: LH V0008 from the Cenomanian Inner Mongolian Iren Dabasu Formation, collected in 1999 at Sanhangobi. In 2001, Zhang Xiaohong, Xu Xing, Paul Sereno, Kwang Kuewen and Tan Lin erected N. yangi. The name means "Yang Zhongjian's Nei Mongol lizard". "Nei Mongol" is the Chinese name for Inner Mongolia and Yang Zhongjian is a Chinese paleontologist and zoologist: the "Father of Chinese Vertebrate Paleontology".

## Description

*Neimongosaurus* was small for a therizinosaur. It bore well-developed hind legs, but was bipedal and ponderous. It's femur is 36.6 centimeters (366 millimeters) long, with a straight shaft and a femoral that points inwards to the sides. The tibiae are preserved and shorter than the femur: 31 centimeters (310 millimeters). The mandible is shaped like a U, only the right dentary preserving. 5 alveoli are present and 1 tooth. Said tooth is coarsely serrated, similar to herbivorous therizinosaurs like *Alaxasaurus* and *Erlikosaurus*. This indicates *Neimongosaurus* was herbivorous. It's neck was relatively elongate, with 16 cervical vertebrae, if the atlas is accounted for. The known material represents the forelimbs well, only missing a manus. The scapula's end tapers.

## Classification

When named, *Neimongosaurus* was assigned a basal therisinosauroid. Since, subsequent cladistic analaysis place *Neimongosaurus* as a derived therizinosaurid. In 2010, Lindsay Zanno placed *Neimongosaurus* back into the initial placement. However, Hartman et al. (2019) find *Neimongosaurus* as a therizinosaur. As of current, the chart below represents *Neimongosaurus*' placement:

## Notable Specimens

* LH V0001: A holotype partial braincase, the right lower jaw's front, 15 cervical (including the atlas), 4 dorsal and 22 caudal vertebrae, a furcula, a pair of scapulacoracoids, two humeri, a left radius, an ilia fragment, a pair of femora and tibiae, left tarsals and a left pes that is nearly complete and articulate.
* LH V008: The paratype of *Neimongosaurus*, including a sacrum (6 sacral vertebrae and an ilia).

## Paleobiology

Sara Burch, in a 2006 conference abstract, presented the estimated range of motion in *Neimongosaurus*, with the motion at the glenoid-humeral joint being a rough circle, directed sideways and slightly downwards. This is different of the ovular backwards-downwards ranges in other theropods. This ability to extend their arms considerably may have helped it grasp for vegetation.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neimongosaurus
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yang\_Zhongjian
Oksoko

Credit: M.W. Skrepnick.

*Oksoko* is an extinct genus of oviraptorid that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

The genus was referenced as far back as 2019, where Greg Funston stated that the publication was initially rejected during peer review, and was once more revised to include insight on manual digit evolution. This was brought up during discussion about the Urlibe Khudak therizinosaur.

## Description

*Oksoko* is known from multiple specimens, in which are juveniles. Unlike all other oviraptors, *Oksoko* had two digits on their hands rather than the standard three. The lack of a third finger supports the theory that *Oksoko* was capable of altering its lifestyle to further diversify and multiply as a species. Like *Tyrannosaurus*, *Oksoko* lost its digit through evolution. The animal was found in large groups, which means that they likely moved, rested and socialized in them.

## Gallery

### Reconstructions

**Credit: Galliraptor on DeviantArt.****Credit: @Microrapterr on Twitter.****Credit: Gabriel Ugueto.****Credit: CisioPurple on DeviantArt.**
## References

* https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-54448253
* https://twitter.com/funstonpaleo/status/1151149036692312065
Promissum

*Promissum* is a genus of extinct conodont that lived during the Late Ordovician.

## Description

*Promissum* has two large eyes and resembles an eel or worm (being a large genus) with a small tail fluke and a primitive backbone. *Promissum* ate small creatures in the water. In the primitive mouth lay mineralized teeth, which is typical for conodonts. Specimens are known from Soom Shale, South Africa and discovered in 1994. It was likely a cruiser rather than being able to produce bursts of speed.
Myliobatis plicatilis

*Myliobatis plicatilis* is an extinct species of ray that lived in New Zealand from the Oligocene to the Miocene.

## History

Teeth were collected in Curiosity Shop, Broken River, Castle Hill Station and originally harvested from the Tokmairiro Limestone. They were then deposited into the collections of the Canterbury Museum in Wellington according to Davis (1888).

## Description

It is known from a collection of isolate teeth, many broken and worn, from the Oamaru Formation. They are either straight or slightly arched, with most of the larger teeth having considerable wear. The smaller breadth defines the species. It is very similar to *M. aquila*, but the large central plate is bears a much shorter crown when compared with it lengthwise. Together with *Myliobatis arcuatus*, it was contemporaneous in the Oamaru Formation. It is larger than the former species. Greater crown size compared to the breadth as well as a lower-lying/thinner dividing ridge between the root and crown are some of the main distinguishing traits between the two contemporaries. Both species are distinguished from a third contemporary, *Myliobatis altus*, through being smaller and having thinner and concave median teeth.

## References

* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=389659
* https://archive.org/details/scientifictransa4188roya/page/39
Plagiophthalmosuchus

*Plagiophthalmosuchus* is an extinct genus of teleosaur that lived in The United Kingdom during the Early Jurassic.

## Classification

*Plagiophthalmosuchus* was originally classified as a *Teleosaurus* species, then moved to *Steneosaurus*, and finally its own genus; *Plagiophthalmosuchus*.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiophthalmosuchus
South African mammoth

## Mammuthus subplanifrons

Credit: Roman Uchytel.

The South African mammoth (*Mammuthus subplanifrons*) is an extinct species of mammoth that lived in south Africa during the Early Pliocene.

## Description

South African mammoth are found in Southern and Eastern Africa, especially in Ethiopia. These are the oldest mammoths, appearing 5 million years ago. South African mammoths are known for their spiraling inward tusks. 2009 studies show that *Loxodonta adaurora* is the same as *M. sublanifrons*, and that decreasing vertebral spine length shoulder-hip and exaggerated tibia/femur ratio place the species in *Mammuthus*. Since *M. sublanifrons* was named first, taxonomic priority applies and *Loxodonta adaurora* fell into dubiousness.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammuthus\_subplanifrons
Protoginglymostoma

Credit: Saurian.

*Protoginglymostoma* is an extinct genus of nurse shark that lived in North America, Africa and Europe from the Late Cretaceous to the Middle Eocene.

## Description

*Protoginglymostoma* and *Pseudoginglymostoma* are differentiated based on the labial crown face of the teeth.

## Paleoecology

*Protoginglymostoma* lived in shallow waters, moving up the river in the Hell Creek Formation. The animal was sluggish, and was likely benthic. *Protoginglymostoma* also may have been nocturnal like modern nurse sharks. *Protoginglymostoma* occurs earliest in the Ypresian (the namesake of *P. ypresiensis*) Fishburne Formation.

## References

1. ↑ https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=34595
2. ↑ https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/abs/new-sharks-and-other-chondrichthyans-from-the-latest-maastrichtian-late-cretaceous-of-north-america/03C9F86EA8FE0C54C70BFB7783FC8AA2
3. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667120301695
4. ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03245.x
5. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14772019.2016.1266048?journalCode=tjsp20
6. ↑ https://animalcorner.org/animals/nurse-shark/
7. ↑ https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/ginglymostoma-cirratum/
8. ↑ https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjes-2015-0061
Nannosuchus

*Nannosuchus* is an extinct genus of crocodile that lived in England during the Early Cretaceous.

## Notable Specimens

* BMNH 48217: The holotype of *Nannosuchus* consists of scattered fragmentary remains. These include parts of the skull and various other postcranial elements.

## Classification

Specimens of *Goniopholis* that prompted the erection of a separate species. Later, the species were given the name *Nannosuchus*.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nannosuchus
Scotiophryne

*Scotiophryne* is an extinct genus of frog that lived in Europe and North America from the Early Cretaceous to the Late Paleocene.

## Classification

*Scotiophryne* is a basal member of Anura, the order that evolves into frogs. The genus is also known from a lapsus, *Scotiphryne*.

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/tyrannoraptoran/status/1307057270463909888, Hell Creek amphibian size chart.
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotiophryne
Morelladon

*Morelladon* is an extinct genus of ornithopod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous of Spain.

## Description

*Morelladon* had a large, fleshy sail on its back. It's beak was used for snapping plants off of their stalks and their back teeth for crushing them. *Morelladon* is very similar to *Ouranosaurus* in body plan. *Morelladon* is characterized by a different spine length, several minor one structure differences, and sacral vertebrae varying in sizes. It is the 15th dinosaur to be described in an open, free access scientific journal in 2015.

## Notable Specimens

* CMP-MS-03: A partial skeleton, lacking a skull. The holotype contains a right tooth, about seven vertebrae, two pieces of rib, a sacron, two chevrons, ilia, incomplete pubes and fragments of the back-hump.

## References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4691198/

https://plos.org/blogs/
Stereolasma

*Stereolasma* is a genus of extinct rugosa coral that lived in North America, Asia and Europe during the Devonian.

## Description

Most members of this genus are classified as *S. rectum*, with *S. exile* being dubious and several others lacking data. Indeterminate species are recognized from Nevada, Guangxi, Spain (Asturias, Leon), Indiana, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania. Simpson (1900) coined *Stereolasma*, which was then made a subjective synonym of *Lindstroemia* by Hill (1956) before being reappraised as a member of Stereolasmatidae by Hill (1981).

## Species

* *S. rectum*
* *S. exile*?
* *S. gallicalcar*?

Lacking data:

* *S. asturica*[*citation needed*]
* *S. parvulum*[*citation needed*]
* *S.* sp. nov. 1-4[*citation needed*]

## References

* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=5941
* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=5941&is\_real\_user=1
Riabininohadros

Credit: CisioPurple on DeviantArt.

*Riabininohadros* is an extinct genus of hadrosaur that lived in the Ukraine during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

*Riabininohadros* was originally named *Orthomerus weberi* by Anatoly Nikolaevich Riabinin (1945) from hindlimb elements from an unnamed locality. G.F. Weber found these in 1934 near Bakchysarai, who was honoured in the specific epithet. In 1937, it was reported on in scientific publication. Since the discoverer was a woman, Lev Nesov (1995) changed the name to *O. weberae*, so that it was feminine. It was recently labelled as a nomen dubium, Roman Ulansky informally named it "Riabinonohadros", since the provided description lacked the required rules set by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. However, Lopatin and Averianov (2020) formally published the name. The holotype is ZGTM 5751. It was found at an unnamed Maastrichtian-aged marine deposit at Mt. Besh-Kosh, Crimea in a *Belemnella caimirovensis* zone. It is a left hindlimb, including the thigh, shin, calf, astragalus, calcaneus and the II and III metatarsal and I phalanx of the second toe. In 2018, it was found that Riabinin has misidentified several elements. Additionally, a right calf bone was found to be present. Aleshino (1965) excavated the postcrania of a juvenile hadrosaur, which may represent a new species. The holotype is housed in Russia rather than the Ukraine.

## Classification

As *Orthomerus* is typically known as a or close to Hadrosauridae, *Riabininohadros* is placed similarly. However, Lopatin and Averianov (2020) find the femur is very distinctive, having no morphological equivalents in Iguanodontia, which includes hadrosaurs and relatives. Instead, they classify it as a primitive Ankylopollexia, based on the basal astragalus. They see it as a styracosternan far outside Hadrosauroidea, having uncertain relationships with others in the clade.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riabininohadros
* https://twitter.com/Carnoferox/status/1275116145171808257
Samaydelphis

*Samaydelphis* is an extinct genus of dolphin that lived in Peru during the Late Miocene.

## Description

*Samaydelphis* is characterized by its upper jaw dentition, only having 30 conical teeth. The genus is also known from several other differences. The genus is unusually small, an is regarded as a stem inoidea.

## References

* https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/spp2.1332
* https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.70rxwdbv2
Saints and Sinners theropod

The "Saints and Sinners theropod" is an unnamed genus of coelophysoid theropod dinosaur that lived in Utah during the Early Jurassic.

## Description

This coelophysoid was given it's nickname based on the Saints and Sinners Quarry of the Nugget Sandstone, first reported in 2010. It has gained popularity through SVP abstracts, but is absent in the work of Chure et al. (2014).

## References

https://equatorialminnesota.blogspot.com/2015/09/coming-attractions-in-dinosauria.html
Ruby Ranch Carnosaurid

The Ruby Ranch Carnosaurid, alongside other Cedar Mountain Fauna.

The Ruby Ranch Carnosaurid is an unnamed genus of large-bodied Carnosaurian dinosaur that lived in Utah during the Early Cretaceous.

## Classification

Carnosaurs refer to a broad catagory of theropods, and there is no valid taxon named Carnosaurus (lapsus taxon, remains are Carnosauria incertae sedis.) that it could be related to. Out of Carnosauria it most likely is a member of Carcharodontosauria because the only other 2 large Carnosaurs known from the Cedar Mountain formation are *Acrocanthosaurus*, and *Siats*. It is listed separately from *Acrocanthosaurus* so it isn't a member of that specific genus, and *Siats* is known from the later Mussentuchit Member, making it unlikely to be this taxon.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar\_Mountain\_Formation
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnosauria
* https://youtu.be/Thhb6Jy-Acw?t=3666
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siats
* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/40662964\_The\_Lower\_Cretaceous\_Cedar\_Mountain\_Formation\_eastern\_Utah\_the\_view\_up\_an\_always\_interesting\_learning\_curve\_papers\_from\_a\_symposium\_of\_the\_Geological\_Society\_of\_America\_at\_the\_annual\_meeting\_in\_St\_Geo
Stegotetrabelodon

This article does not meet the standards set by the Prehistoric wiki Manual of Style. Please edit it.

## Statistics

### Location

Africa, Eurasia and the Arabian Peninsula

### Diet

Herbivorous

*Stegotetrabelodon* is an extinct genus of Gomphothere that lived in Africa, Eurasia and the Arabian Peninsula during the Late Miocene to the Early Pliocene. It had a weight of 6.6-11 tons and like Gomphotherium, it was the inspiration for the Mûmakil/Oliphaunt from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

*Stegotetrabelodon* is known from numerous skeletons and teeth, whom of which were found in Africa, Central Europe, Pakistan, and even western China, with the latter found in Hungary and Iran. Footprints of *Stegotetrabelodon* roaming in large herds have been found in the United Arab Emirates in 2006. *Stegotetrabelodon* has four tusks, two straight tusks on the upper jaw, and two straight tusks on the tip of the lower jaw.

Other specimens found outside of Africa are doubtfully assigned the genus *Mammut*, under the subgenus *Bunolophodon*. Chinese specimens are also assigned to *Mammut*, *Tetralophodon* and *Stegodon*.

## Paleobiology

During the Miocene of Africa, Central Europe and Asia, *Deinotherium* and ***Stegotetrabelodon*** weren’t that much intelligent like the modern day elephants were, so indeed, because they were so territorial, They do not give much warning before attacking anything or even each other. Plus, Stegotetrabelodon would use its tusks as well as its size to kill or gore its opponents.

## Trivia

* Stegotetrabelodon is one of the few ancient Proboscidea that has been popular in the media along with its cousins, the Columbian Mammoth and Deinotherium. Its first appearance was in the documentary “When Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time”, and the second being the Video Game “Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey”.
* In Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey, not only is it the largest animal in the game, but also, it is possibly the most deadliest and aggressive.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stegotetrabelodon

* https://prehistoric-fauna.com/Stegotetrabelodon#:~:text=Stegotetrabelodon%20is%20an%20extinct%20genus,4%20m%20in%20shoulder%20height.
* https://twitter.com/AncestorsGame/status/1425834649994080258
Pristis

This page is about a genus that contains extinct and extant species; species marked with † are extinct.

## Statistics

### Diet

Piscivorous

*Pristis* is a genus of sawfish that have lived worldwide since the Late Paleocene.

## Species

* *P. clavata*
* *P. pectinata*
* *P. pristis*
* *P. zijsron*
* †*P. acutidens*
* †*P. agassizi*
* †*P. amblodon*
* †*P. antiquorum*
* †*P. aquitanicus*
* †*P. atlanticus*
* †*P. attenuatus*
* †*P. bassani*
* †*P. bisulcatus*
* †*P. brachyodon*
* †*P. brayi*
* †*P. caheni*
* †*P. contortus*
* †*P. cudmorei*
* †*P. curvidens*
* †*P. dubius*
* †*P. ensidens*
* †*P. fajumensis*
* †*P. hamatus*
* †*P. hastingsiae*
* †*P. lanceolatus*
* †*P. lathami*
* †*P. mucrodens*
* †*P. olbrechtsi*
* †*P. pectinatus*
* †*P. pickeringi*
* †*P. prosulcatus*
* †*P. recurvidens*
* †?*P. mississippiensis*? (=juvenile *P. pectinata*?)

## Description

*Pristis* is one of the two genera of Pristidae, and is notable for their long toothy rostrum, and their flat, shark-like bodies. They have about six fins and a tail fluke, all of which are flat. The mouth, gills and nostrils are all located on the flat underside of their bodies. *Pristis* is technically a type of ray, which is why their bodies are so flat.

*P. mississippiensis*, the Mississippi sawfish, is a species named by Constantine Rafinesque (1820) from a 16.5 centimeter-long rostrum, never illustrated and now likely lost, from the John D. Clifford's collection in Lexington that was reported by Rafinesque to have lived in the Mississippi, Red, Arkansas, Mobile/Alabama, and Ohio Rivers. The rostral denticle count (26 on one side and 27 on another) match the contemporaneous *P. pectinata*. This is explained as either a juvenile *P. pectinata* described as a new species, with US occurrences misidentified by paddlefishes, or that *P. mississippiensis* is a dwarf species or subspecies of *P. pectinata* that is now extinct. The loss of a holotype makes it difficult to tell, but the first option seems more likely. Some think that P. mississippiensis is a fabrication that Rasinesque heard from a friend named Audubon had told him out of annoyance for Rafinesque's fish small talk, and published the false account none-the-wiser. However, it is clear that Rafinesque had actually seem the holotype, and so the existence of the holotypic rostrum is proven.

## Distribution

Individuals of *Pristis* occur worldwide, and are very common fish found in oceans. *Pristis* are often found in aquariums and fish tanks.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pristis
* https://twitter.com/TylerGreenfieId/status/1481682111262306308
* https://t.co/CxFvrYWQEK
* https://t.co/nPf07xJnfu
SGPIMH MEV1

Scale bar 10mm

SGPIMH MEV1 is an unnamed genus of sandpiper-like Paleognath bird that lived in Germany during the Eocene.

## Description

The taxon is known from a articulated post cranial skeleton only lacking "distal phalanges of right wing, left carpometacarpus with distal phalanges, and both feet" split between a slab and a counterslab. The morphology and size of the specimen is clearly distinct from that all the current known European Lithornithids*, Lithornis, Pseudocrypturus,* and *Paracathartes*. This species is the only Middle Eocene fossil record of the Lithornithidae in Europe.

## References

* Mayr, Gerald (2008). "First substantial Middle Eocene record of the Lithornithidae (Aves): A postcranial skeleton from Messel (Germany)". Annales de Paléontologie. 94 (1): 29–37. doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2007.12.004
Pongo pygmaeus kahlkei

*Pongo pygmaeus kahlkei* is an extinct subspecies of pongine hominid that lived in Vietnam during the Middle Pleistocene.

## Description

The subspecies was erected from holotype IAH TK 65/149 (left M1 or M2), TK 65/137 and 139 (incisors), 118 (canine), 45 and 107 (upper premolars), 10, 34B, 40,56,152,158 and 164(uppermolars),41, 128, 131, 134 and 149 (lower molars) and 151 (dM2) from the Cave of Tham Khuyen,. The lower incisors are short-crowned, the morphology is generally similar to other *Pongo pygmaeus* subspp., the lower molars are the largest of all subspecies and the upper molars are of intermediate size of the largest and smallest subspecies.

## References

https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstream/handle/2246/259/A076a00.pdf?sequence=1
Rugops

Credit: randomdinos.

*Rugops* is an extinct genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in Northern Africa during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

It's name translates to "wrinkle face", named from a partial skull from the Echkar Formation and a left maxilla from the Kem Kem Beds. The skull is 31.5 centimeters long, similar to other abelisaurids, *Rugops* had very short, vestigial arms that were likely useless in fighting, possibly used as a counterbalance.

## Description

*Rugops* was relatively small, with a suggested size of 5.3 meters long and 410 kilograms (900 pounds) heavy. Some estimates place a length of 4.4 metres. This was a far cry from the original 6 meter-long estimate. It is known from a partial skull from Echkar and a maxilla from the Kem Kem, its skull was likely around 31.5 centimeters long, suggesting affinities with scavenging. 7 holes line the top of the cranium which Sereno, though the function unknown, suggested could have supported some sort of display such as a crest or horns based on blood vessels leading into these pits.

## Paleobiology

Paul Sereno stated "It is definitely not the kind of head designed for fighting or bone-crushing", suggesting that it might have primarily been a scavenger and/or hunts smaller game. *Rugops*' discovery in Niger in 2000 was a crucial breakthrough in local theropod paleontology, demonstrating that this landmass was still united with Gondwana at this time. *Rugops* was contemporaneous with *Spinosaurus*, *Carcharodontosaurus*, and *Deltadromeus*. However, it likely did not compete with the aforementioned.

## Gallery

**Credit: Ryan Somma on the Wikimedia Commons.****Credit: Crizz30 on the Wikimedia Commons.****Credit: PrehistoryByLiam on DeviantArt.****Credit: Wikimedia Commons.**
## References

1. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691741/
2. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308792335\_Records\_y\_curiosidades\_de\_los\_dinosaurios\_teropodos\_y\_otros\_dinosauromorfos
3. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667116301902?via%3Dihub
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugops
5. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20060724101122/http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2004/june/rugops.htm
6. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691741/
Protocinctus

Credit: Óscar Sanisidro.

*Protocinctus* is an extinct genus of echinoderm that lived in Spain during the Early Cambrian.

## Description

*Protocinctus* is flat, to reduce drag, with a small armored tail and bony plates on it body. *Protocinctus*' mouth was filled with small grooves to filter food and non-edible matter into their stomachs. *Protocinctus* shows a previously unknown evolutionary trade-off between stability and feeding in Cambrian echinoderms.

## Paleoecology

*Protocinctus* sifted through sediment and water, swimming against the currents to push food into it's mouth. *Protocinctus* produced little drag due to their flat bodies, allowing them to swim against the water currents.

## References

* http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2020/07/protocinctus.html
* https://twitter.com/extinct\_animais/status/1092526206300418051
Primelephas

P. korotorensis Credit: Roman Uchytel.

*Primelephas* is an extinct genus of elephant that lived in Africa during the Miocene and Pliocene.

## Description

*Primelephas* is thought to have been an early ancestor to *Mammuthus*, and all closely related genera to *Elephas* and *Loxodonta*, the only two surviving genera of Elephantidae. *Primelephas* first split from it's relatives some 4-6 million years ago, and had the unusual trait of four small tusks, all slightly curved. *Primelephas* had two tusks on the front and bottom jaws.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primelephas
Plumalexius

*Plumalexius* is an extinct genus of wasp that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

The specimens of *Plumalexius* are known from a block of amber. Two male individuals were preserved alongside a stick and other plant scraps and matter. The two males are yellow, with a hint of reddish tone. Most of the wasps were preserved. Paleontologists note how damaged the amber was, which may have been a cause of why some parts of the wasps weren't preserved. The name *Plumalexius rasnitsyni* is derived from the family name, Plumalexiidae, and Alexander P. Rasnitsyn. Studies show *Plumalexius* was a more basal wasp in its time.

## References

https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Plumalexius

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumalexius
Redfieldius

Credit: Fossil Forum.

*Redfieldius* is an extinct genus of fish that lived in the Americas, Africa, and Australia in the Triassic.

## Description

The skull and fins of *Redfieldius* are more advanced in design than those of the first ray-finned fish.

## Reference

Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life, p. 48
Stensioella

Credit: Avancna on DeviantArt.

*Stensioella* is an extinct genus of placoderm that lived in Germamy during the Early Devonian.

## Description

*Stensioella* has an elongated body, with a whip-like tail and long spring-like pectoral fins. In life, *Stensioella* would have resembled the raffish. Like *Gemuendia*, *S. heintzi* was armed with an intricate pattern of scale-like tubercles.

## Classification

*Stensioella* was tentatively placed into placoderms, placed at the basalmost spot. From what is seen in the holotype, the shoulder armour appears like those in placoderms. Despite the latter and differences in skull plates and tubercles, some paleontologists consider *Stensioella* a placoderm. Phillipe Janvier proposes *Stensioella* is a holocephalid. If this proves true, holocephalids diverged from shark lineages before the chondrichthyan Devonian radiation. Despite a similar body plan to the basal holocephalid *Menaspis*, others say *Stensioella* differs greatly from holocephalids.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stensioella
Rhinopteraspis

Credit: Liliensternus on DeviantArt

*Rhinopteraspis* is an extinct genus of agnathan that lived in Germany during the Early Devonian.

## Description

*Rhinopteraspis* had a large shield on its face, with one long protrusion at the tip of its nose, and at the peak of its back. Its fossils are found exclusively in German deposits, dating back to the Early Devonian. The fish had a simple build, with minimal fins and it lacks jaw muscles.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinopteraspis

* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=387261
Syngnathus

This page is about a genus that contains extinct and extant species; species marked with † are extinct.

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

*Syngnathus* is a genus of pipefish that lives in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans (also around the United States, Greece, Germany and Italy) since the Oligocene.

## Species

* *S. abaster* (black-striped pipefish)
* *S. acus* (greater pipefish)
* *S. affinis*
* *S. auliscus* (barred pipefish)
* *S. californiensis* (kelp pipefish)
* *S. caribbaeus* (Caribbean pipefish)
* *S. carinatus*
* *S. caspius*
* *S. chihiroe*
* *S. dawsoni*
* *S. euchrous* (chocolate pipefish)
* *S. exillis* (bar-creek pipefish)
* *S. floridae* (dusky pipefish)
* *S. folletti*
* *S. fuscus* (northern pipefish)
* *S. insulae*
* *S. leptorhynchus* (bay pipefish)
* *S. louisianae* (chain pipefish)
* *S. macrobrachium*
* *S. macrophthalmus*
* *S. makaxi* (Yucatán pipefish)
* *S. pelagicus* (Sargassum pipefish)
* *S. phlegon*
* *S. rostellatus* (Nilsson's pipefish)
* *S. safina*
* *S. schlegeli* (seaweed pipefish)
* *S. schmidti*
* *S. scovelli* (gulf pipefish)
* *S. springeri (bull pipefish)*
* *S. taenionotus*
* *S. temmincki* (long-snout pipefish)
* *S. tenuirostris* (narrow-snouted pipefish)
* *S. typhle* (broad-nosed pipefish)
* *S. variegatus*
* *S. watermeyeri* (river pipefish)
* †*S. albyi*
* †*S. altus*
* †*S. avus*
* †*S. emeritus*
* †*S. incertus*
* †*S. incompletus*

## Synonyms

* *Acus*
* *Dermatostethus*
* *Siphostoma*
* *Syrictes* (preoccupied)
* *Tiphle*

## References

* http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon\_no=35878
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngnathus