recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Punatitan

Credit: Cisiopurple on DeviantArt.

*Punatitan* is an extinct genus of titanosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

*Punatitan* is derived from "Puna", the word that distinguishes the air-deprived atmosphere found high up in the Andes. The name "*coughlini*" refers to paleontologist Tim Coughlin, who reported remains of *Punatitan*.

## Description

*Punatitan* is known from a partial skeleton consisting of vertebrae, the right pubis and left ischium and several ribs. The specimen is considered different from similar species due to it being mid-sized, and countless autapomorphies.

## References

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-020-01338-w
Pseudhomo

Mauer 1.

*Pseudhomo* is a dubious genus of hominin that lived in Spain and Germany during the Middle Pleistocene.

## History

Historically, *Pseudhomo* is a genus used to refer the the Mauer mandible and was once, informally, used to subsume *Homo antecessor*. Both of these fossils are known from the Middle Pleistocene of Europe. Ameghino coined the term and Hrdlička considered it an offshoot of the genus *Homosimius*.

## References

* https://mobile.twitter.com/SahinCAKIR70414/status/659607621750624256
* https://www.gbif.org/zh-tw/species/172744893
* https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search\_topic=TSN&search\_value=943956#null
* https://books.google.ca/books?id=2tk\_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=%22pseudhomo+heidelbergensis%22&source=bl&ots=-MZ6x8vWNZ&sig=ACfU3U0d8d-wr07ymVR\_aNYwlUoQeQ6j-A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwuYeRhfX5AhWhg4kEHdrCANwQ6AF6BAgWEAM#v=onepage&q=%22pseudhomo%20heidelbergensis%22&f=false
Sinosaurus

*Sinosaurus* is an extinct genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in China during the Early Jurassic.

## Description

Chung Chien Young (1940) named *Sinosaurus* ("Chinese lizard") from the Lufeng Formation. It the is only "dilophosaurid" known from a complete braincase, as known from a specimen discovered in 2011 and only missing the frontals and orbitosphenoid. Originally, it was identified as coelophysoid related to *Dilophosaurus* and *Cryolophosaurus* and then combined as *"D." sinensis*. Oliver Rauhut (2003) found it to be more advanced as a "dilophosaurid". Several works consider it dubious but it was confirmed as a valid genus.

## Paleobiology

A deep notch between the maxilla and premaxilla was suggested by Dong (2003) to hold jaw muscles in life that would have produced a powerful bite. Some suggest it could have been either a predator or a scavenger. Some have suggested that "dilophosaurid" jaws were adapted to piscivory and also to generalism. There is not yet a concrete answer. Dong had suspected the premaxilla was sheathed in a narrow, hooked beak that could tear open skin, and thought the crest was used to hold the abdominal walls open during feeding. Dong also saw similarity in the feet to vultures, finding they were likely adapted to feeding on large prey such as prosauropods. Xing et al. (2013) examined traumatic teeth loss in dental alveoli, where remodeling and disease resilience was documented. The dental alveolus is the first dental pathology recorded in dinosaurs.

## References

* https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1755-6724.1940.mp203-4003.x
* https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/3cd96352-5a19-4e0f-9d2b-3d7c5cb6a99d
* https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11434-013-5765-7
* https://dl.ndl.go.jp/view/download/digidepo\_3501262\_po\_memoir002-123.pdf?contentNo=1
* https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/the-tale-of-a-sinosaurus-tooth
* https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Localities-of-Shuangbaisaurus-anlongbaoensis-CPM-C2140ZA245-and-Sinosaurus-in-Yunnan\_fig3\_316776056 [Theropods Location]
* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269690331\_Braincase\_Anatomy\_of\_the\_Basal\_Theropod\_Sinosaurus\_from\_the\_Early\_Jurassic\_of\_China
* https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.wiley-acgs-v-88-i-6-acgs12335
* https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do;jsessionid=A11E7B0770F54A50067CB9ABAB4A2BEB?request\_locale=zh\_CN&recordID=US201400123201&query=&sourceQuery=&sortField=&sortOrder=&agrovocString=&advQuery=&centerString=&enableField=&aggregatorField=&typeresultsField=
* https://www.mindat.org/taxon-4966131.html
* http://www.paleofile.com/Dinosaurs/Theropods/Sinosaurus.asp
* http://www.ivpp.cas.cn/cbw/gjzdwxb/xbwzxz/201703/P020170509334998334473.pdf
* https://www.ichongqing.info/2020/06/03/footprints-of-strongest-carnivorous-dinosaurs-living-in-early-jurassic-discovered-in-chongqing/
Pseudorca yokoyamai

Credit: Matsumoto Hikoshichiro

*Pseudorca yokoyamai* is an extinct species of oceanic dolphin that lived in Japan during the Pliocene.

## Description

*P. yokoyamai*'s teeth are conical, recurving with a smooth enamel coating. This may represent a phase between *P. crassidens* and *Globicephala* spp.. On the holotype, the second last and last teeth measure 47/50 millimeters (1.9/2 inches) high, also having smaller and a greater number of teeth than *P. crassidens*. The paratype is the last seven teeth in the jaw, likely having about three or four teeth before them. The diameters of the tooth crown at the gumline are 14-15 millimeters (0.55-0.59 inches), and the entire preserved series is 177 millimeters (7 inches) long. Matsumoto Hikoshichiro (1926) named the species based on two teeth, likely of the back of the mouth, with the paratype being a right ramus (of the mandible) with 7 teeth (with 4 being incomplete). The holotype was discovered in Hommoku, Yokohama, of which it was named. The paratype was discovered in Kazusa Province, opposite side of Tokyo Bay.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudorca\_yokoyamai

https://tohoku.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository\_action\_common\_download&item\_id=10634&item\_no=1&attribute\_id=18&file\_no=1
Polacanthoides

Credit: Jose Carlos Cortes.

*Polacanthoides* is an extinct genus of nodosaur that lived in Europe during the Early Cretaceous.

## Classification

*Polacanthoides* may have been a junior synonym of *Hylaeosaurus* and *Polacanthus*.

## History

*Polacanthoides* was named by Franz Nopcsa in 1928 and is known from the type specimen, or BMNH 2584.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polacanthoides
Plotornis

MGPT- PU 17360.

*Plotornis* is an extinct genus of stem albatross that lived in Italy during the Miocene.

## Description

*Plotornis* is a stem albatross known from specimens including the holotype MGPT- PU 17360, a partial skeleton. *Plotornis* is the first record of an albatross from the Mediterranean Sea. A left humerus was donated to the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History by the Kantala donation. It was identified as a likely *Plotornis*.

## References

* http://fossilworks.org/?a=taxonInfo&taxon\_no=39694
* http://fossilworks.org/?a=taxonInfo&taxon\_no=304834
* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264089967\_On\_the\_True\_Affinities\_of\_Chenornis\_graculoides\_Portis\_1884\_and\_Anas\_lignitifila\_Portis\_1884-An\_Albatross\_and\_an\_Unusual\_Duck\_from\_the\_Miocene\_of\_Italy
* https://twitter.com/CofCNatHistory/status/1453744800264503299
* https://twitter.com/KsepkaLab/status/1453749309502107649
Protomycena

*Protomycena* is an extinct genus of fungus that lived in Hispaniola during the Early Miocene.

## Description

The specimen is only known from a single Mushroom, and is currently housed in the private collection of Ettore Morone in Turin, Italy. The plieus or cap of the mushroom measures 5 mm in diameter. The shape of the cap is convex and possess an Umbo (a small raised spot on the cap). The flesh itself appears to be a very pale color. The connection between the stalk and the cap is slightly flared outwards and has small ridges along it. Their are 6-8 full gills that radiate from the center of the stem to the edge of the plius, these gills have smaller branching gills that don't reach the edge of the cap. The stipe, or stem is curved in shape. It is .75 mm wide and 10 mm long.

## Classification

the authors when describing the specimen put it as a member of Mycenaceae which was part of the greater family Tricholomataceae, it was later reclassified along with the rest of Mycenae into its own family. Due to the taxonomy of fungi families being based on microscopic characteristics to distinguish between families it is hard to say if it is related very close to modern Mycena or if it is somewhere else on the Agaricales tree.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protomycena
Rhacolepis

*Rhacolepis* is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish that lived in Brazil during the Early Cretaceous..

## Description

Known from many well-preserved individual specimens, *Rhacolepis* is generally very well understood. *Rhacolepis* had a long streamlined body, and large toothy jaws to support the fishes piscivorous aquatic diet. The fish had rows of glossy scales lining its body. The genus is notable for having many specimens preserving complete hearts.
Steppe brown bear

## Ursus arctos priscus

Credit: Roman Uchytel.

The steppe brown bear (*Ursus arctos priscus*) is an extinct subspecies of bear that lived in Eurasia during the Pleistocene.

## Description

The steppe brown bear may have weighed from 300 to 1000 kilograms (660 to 2200 pounds), and may have been more carnivorous than its extant relative.

## Distribution

The steppe brown bear has been found from the Vazec, Vyvieranie, Lisková, Kupcovie Izbicka and Okno caves of Slovakia.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppe\_brown\_bear
Saint Helena shearwater

## Puffinus pacificoides

USNM PAL175963, the holotype.

The Saint Helena shearwater (*Puffinus pacificoides*) is an extinct species of seabirds that lived in Saint Helena, becoming extinct near the end of the Holocene.

## Description

The Saint Helena shearwater was affiliated with *Puffinus pacificus*, and lived in Saint Helena, South Atlantic. It likely became extinct near the end of the Holocene, or at the end of the last glacial period. The bird is only known from subfossils.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint\_Helena\_shearwater
* https://www.si.edu/object/nmnhpaleobiology\_3368418
Schleitheimia

Credit: Beat Scheffold.

*Schleitheimia* is an extinct genus of sauropodomorph that lived in Switzerland during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

*Schleitheimia* is a medium-sized sauropodomorph, that was mostly quadrupedal. The animal had large strong forelimbs, adorned with multiple sharp claws. *Schleitheimia* is differentiated from other dinosaurs by several features, most not to unique. *Schleitheimia* has a rounded, broad ridge on the iliac blade, ending in a rounded addition to the ilium. The ilium's fourth tronchanter is robust. The femur's crista tibiofubularis is broad, lacking the posterior pointing shelf laterally to the crista.

The holotype, PIMUZ A/III 50, consists of a partial right ilium, and several other postcranial bones deemed paratypes. The other bones are based of similarity and type locality, and are believed to have been from the same individual who died in the Late Triassic.

## Notable Specimens

* PIMUZ A/III 50: The holotype consists of a right partial ilium. The specimen represents *Schleitheimia*, but is not very different from other European sauropodiformes during the uppermost Triassic.
* PIMUZ A/III 538, 540, 539, 541, 545, 542, 543, 549, 550, 4390, 4398 and 551: Several bones, presumed to be of the same species and individual, scattered around the Schleitheim type locality.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schleitheimia
* http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2020/07/schleitheimia.html
* https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186%2Fs00015-020-00360-8
Svalbard ichthyosaur

The Svalbard ichthyosaur is an unnamed genus of ichthyosaur that lived in Norway during the Early Triassic.

## Description

It is known from eleven caudal vertebrae suggesting a length of over 10 meters (3 feet), possibly making it an apex predator. Being 250 million years old, it is not as archaic in morphology as had been previously anticipated. Rather, it was quite derived for its age. This suggests that ichthyosaurs may have predated the Permian-Triassic mass extinction by about 20 million years.

## Paleoecology

The locality of Svalbard is an arctic landscape with high mountains and the long, deep fjord that they line. The remains were exposed in a river channel that cut through ancient strata that had once been a seabed. It is thought that this taxa is part of a lineage that took advantage of open niches following the mass extinction to reach excessive sizes. This time would have been very volcanic.

## Sources

* https://www.arctictoday.com/the-oldest-ichthyosaur-fossils-have-been-found-in-norways-arctic/?wallit\_nosession=1
* https://www.fox7austin.com/news/oldest-sea-reptile-remains-2-million-years-found-arctic-island
* https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ichthyosaur-fossils-ancient-marine-reptile-arctic-island/
* https://www.fox5ny.com/news/oldest-sea-reptile-remains-2-million-years-found-arctic-island
* https://news.yahoo.com/oldest-sea-reptile-remains-2-150009332.html?guccounter=1&guce\_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce\_referrer\_sig=AQAAABFSzxVcLbmCXwcq28LiO0VsXN4AcEBBcEZShzdNw1s37tcgHX74spQZDSkdyOwpyFNtOAoTeDNoD4Gn1tPkuDCoXBbk71H27z-eTPbCXY0YOVumKMHxCeAGCMdezOXRQaefwNwpgocL6mX8PM2tTOdecT1zFQ4dWSDrlCnpk6\_g
* https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/oldest-fossils-of-remarkable-marine-reptiles-found-in-arctic-3861593
* https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/oldest-ichthyosaur-fossils-norway/
Qaisracetus

*Qaisracetus* is an extinct protocetid whale that lived in the Eocene in Baluchistan, Pakistan.

## History

*Qaisracetus* was named after the Qaisrani Baloch tribe who helped Gingerich et al. uncover the ancient whale. "Qaisra" is similar to many words in Persian and Indo-European languages, such as Kaiser, Caesar and Czar. The species epithet is after Muhammad Arif, former at the Geological Survey of Pakistan, who contributed heavily to archaeocete paleontology in Pakistan. *Q. spinalis* was mentioned by Gengerich et al. in a table, and is a lapsus for *Q. arifi*.

## Description

*Qaisracetus* is known from many specimens of the near-same locality. Among these are a very well-preserved skull, braincases, several vertebrae including a near-complete sacrum, a left innominate ribs and partial limbs. It is smaller than *Paccocetus* and *Babiacetus*, however is larger than *Indocetus*. It is as nearly complete as *Rodhocetus kasrani*, the most complete and articulated protocetid and similar in size. *Qaisracetus*' skull is a generalized form, with external nares located above the C1, with a broad frontal shield, with a narrower rostrum than *Takracetus*.

Four sacral vertebrae partially fuse, with the first two fusing solidly, the third locked by a pleurapophyseal synchondrosis and the fourth having a caudal morphology that includes two chevron processes located ventrally. The S1 and S2 fusion is differentiated from others such as *Protocetus*, *Rodhocetus*, *Gaviacetus*, *Natchitochia* and *Georgiacetus*. Rather than in *Eocetus*, the vertebrae are not thick and dense. The sacral vertebrae in both *Qaisracetus* and *Rodhocetus* indicate a wide distribution of specialization, with the direct ancestors unknown.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaisracetus
* https://sites.google.com/site/palaeocritti/by-group/eutheria/cetacea/archaeoceti/qaisracetus
* http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon\_no=53243
Scolopendra proavita

*Scolopendra proavita* is an extinct genus of centipede that lived in Europe from the Oligocene to the Eocene.

## Description

*S. proavita* is known from Eocene/Oligocene Baltic amber, the type housed in the Danziger Naturkundemuseum Menge collection. A 'second palpi' is preserved in amber specimens that correspond perfectly with the jaws and sixteen pairs of legs that stretch down to the small anal tips.

## References

* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=304880
* A. Menge. 1854. Footnotes and taxonomic names, in Die im Bernstein befindlichen Crustaceen, Myriapoden, Arachniden und Apteren der Vorwelt. *Die in Bernstein Befindlichen Organischen Reste der Vorwelt Gesammelt in Verbindung mit Mehreren Bearbeitetet und Herausgegeben* 1(2):1-124
Qingshuiaspis

Qingshuiaspis (left) and Anjiaspis (right). Credit: Shan, Gai, Lin, Chen, Zhu and Zhao.

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

*Qingshuiaspis* is an extinct genus of Eugaleaspiformes fish that lived in China during the Early Silurian.

## Description

*Qingshuiaspis* clusters with *Shuyu*, *Meishanaspis* and *Jiangxialepis*, with it being in a sister family (Shuyuidae), sister to all Eugaleaspiformes, representing the oldest and most primitive occurrences of this taxon. It was discovered from the marine Lower Red Beds of the Silurian, South China. This suggests a divergence time at no later than the Early Telychian.

## References

* https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1367912022001109?via%3Dihub
* https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202203/1257354.shtml
* http://www.news.cn/english/20220402/aeea38de2358422989c841bb46078523/c.html
Ronaldoraptor

Credit: Cisiopurple on DeviantArt.

Ronaldoraptor, or the "Mitrata" Oviraptorid, is a nude genus of oviraptorid that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

"Ronaldoraptor" is is undescribed specimen first "named" (not meant as a permanent name) by Luis V. Rey (2003) in A Field Guide to Dinosaurs: The Essential Handbook for Travelers in the Mesozoic, where it makes an appearance as a caption under one of his illustrations. Jaime Headden thinks it may be close to *Citipati*, but is unsure if it is a species of that genus, a new genus or even in that clade. Headden nicknamed it the "Mitrata" Oviraptorid (from the Greek miter or mitre, translating to "having a [priest's] hat", in reference to it's crest. Headden observes the larger crest, elongate and low antorbital fossa and "something funny going on with the fossae around the external naris" as distinguishing features. The external naris is ovate and shaped as a teardrop, similar to *Citipati*. Casts were created by Gaston Design before one specimen was sent into private hands and another into an institution. In museums, it is known as *Oviraptor philoceratops* or *Oviraptor* sp..

## Gallery

The first "Ronaldoraptor" specimen.The first specimen alongside another alleged "Ronaldoraptor"; the right is larger than the left, considerably so.A cast of the first specimen in a travelling exhibition for the Four State Museum of Natural History.
**Credit: FSMNH.**A cast of the first specimen from the FSMNH.
**Credit: FSMNH.**
## References

* https://qilong.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/the-mitrata-oviraptorid/
* https://fourstatemuseum.com/our-collection
Pterodaustro

Credit: Mark Witton.

*Pterodaustro* is an extinct genus of ctenochasmatid pterodactyloid pterosaur that lived in Argentina during the Early Cretaceous.

## Description

It was moderately sized, at around 2.5 m wingspan. It had robust legs as well as a relatively long tail for a pterodactyloid, comprised of 22 caudal vertebrae. By far its most unique feature, however is *Pterodaustro*'s strange skull and dentition.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterodaustro
SMU 60313

SMU 60313 is an unnamed genus of pliosaur that lived in Texas during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

Welles and Slaughter (1963) first named SMU 60313 as a species of the wastebasket genus *Polyptychodon* as *"P." hudsoni*. However, this has since been called into question. It is likely a distinct taxon. Persson (1963) in their revision of Plesiosauria identifies the material as a clear polycotylid but later authors group SMU 60313 with brachauchenines. Welles and Slaughter published their paper slightly after the publication of Persson's, so the anecdote about SMU 60313 is in the addendum.

## Description

SMU 60313 is represented by fused frontals, parietals and medial ends of squamosals, partial rami, a mandibular symphasis, 10 teeth and possibly the centrum of an anterior caudal. This vertebrae was found 150 feet away from the crania on the same level, so it is hypothesized it may be of the same species, but probably not the same individual. However, since no overlapping material is known, it is difficult to test this. The material was recovered from the Eagle Ford Group of the Turonian-aged sediment. The symphasis oreserved is 40 centimeters long and the mandible, in life, is thought to have been 129 centimeters long. The skull roof preserved is near identical to *Polyptychodon*, with a tall parietal crest. Because it is often grouped with brachauchenines, SMU 60313 may have looked similar to *Brachauchenius* and *Megacephalosaurus* based on overlapping temporal range, but this is just an unofficial hypothesis.

## References

* https://paleoarchive.com/literature/Persson1963-RevisionClassificationPlesiosauria.pdf
* https://www.jstor.org/stable/1301414
* https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1311/ac05d1cd6691dbbbf58a1e38435a2588c1dc.pdf?\_ga=2.186378921.1287558243.1640574818-813715768.1640574818
Subplanites

*Subplanites* is an extinct genus of ammonite that lived in Eurasia and Africa during the Jurassic.

## Description

*S.* sp. described in 2021 preserves soft tissue, preserved in Solnhofen limestone, includes the male genitalia, digestive system, mantle cavity, gills and hyponome. This is likely a result of failed predation from another cephalopod from behind, where the predator carved a hole through the back of the shell and sucked the soft tissue from that hole. This could also mean ammonites kept most of their eyes and tentacles inside their shells, contrary to belief.

## References

* https://sjpp.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13358-020-00215-7
* http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon\_no=15693
Styginetta

Styginetta is a naked genus of ornithuran bird that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous, and past the K-PG mass extinction.

## Description

Styginetta was one of the only known birds to have survived the K-PG mass extinction. Because of this, the bird likely skimmed the water with its bill, feeding on small aquatic invertebrates. Styginetta likely also layed its eggs on logs, underneath rocks, in tight spaces or in sand. Babies must have grew up quickly, and reached full sexual maturity in less of a year of their lives. This adaptability gave them the upper-hand; whereas non-avian dinosaurs underwent much slower cycles, inevitably becoming extinct[*citation needed*].

## References

https://sauriangame.fandom.com/wiki/%22Styginetta\_lofgreni%22
Preaulophyseter

*Preaulophyseter* is a dubious genus of toothed whales that lived in Argentina from the Oligocene to the Miocene.

## Description

Paolucci et al. (2020) revise the genus as a nomen dubium based on a lack of diagnostic characters, referring the material to Physeteroidea indet. as a result. Tympano-periodics and nondiagnostic features make classifying these elements difficult, and *Preaulophyseter* had an unresolved position. They suggest that ear bones can be used to differentiate kogiids and non-kogiid physeteroids, though not at the specific level. They posit that ontogeny, individual variation or taphonomy may explain slight differences. It was originally named from the Gran Bajo del Gualicho Formation based on isolated teeth and periotics. This would lead to it's redescription and fall into dubiousness in 2020.

## References

* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=63950
* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347440446\_A\_systematic\_revision\_of\_Preaulophyseter\_gualichensis\_Cetacea\_Odontoceti\_Physeteroidea\_from\_Argentinian\_Patagonia\_and\_the\_phylogenetic\_signal\_of\_tympano-periotics\_in\_Physeteroidea
TMM 31173-120

TMM 31173-120 is an unnamed genus of Leptosuchomorph phytosaur that probably lived in Texas during the Triassic.

## Classification

Below is a simplified phylogeny from Stocker (2012):

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptosuchomorpha
* Michelle R. Stocker (2012) A new phytosaur (Archosauriformes, Phytosauria) from the Lot’s Wife beds (Sonsela Member) within the Chinle Formation (Upper Triassic) of Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 32:3, 573-586, DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2012.649815
Riabininus

Credit: Karkemish00 on DeviantArt

*Riabininus* is an extinct genus of captorhinid that lived in Russia during the Early Permian.

## Notable Specimens

* ZNIGR 1/348: The holotype of *Riabininus* is a partial mandible.

## Paleoecology

*Riabininus* was likely omnivorous, feeding on a mix of plants and insects.

## References

* https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Riabininus

* https://www.mindat.org/taxon-4818961.html

* https://www.deviantart.com/karkemish00/art/Riabininus-uralensis-308471339
Scrotum

Credit: Skye McDavid.

"*Scrotum humanum*" is the name given to a specimen of cf. *Megalosaurus*, a genus of dinosaur that lived in England during the Middle Jurassic.

## History

The remains were initially thought to have been from an elephant or a massive human. Robert Plot in 1677 assigns the fossil to the same source. In 1772, Brookes names the fossil *Scrotum humanum* based on it's similarities to human genitalia. Since then, the fossil has been lost and is now a nomen oblitum (forgotten name). The fossil is however, thought to have been from a cf. *Megalosaurus*, based on one of the only drawings made of the specimen. The specimen was described with the label "*Scrotum humanum"* before the formal description of *Megalosaurus*, leading some to argue that the name Scrotum should have priority. The specimen consists of a lower part of a femur (thigh bone.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalosaurus#%22Scrotum\_humanum%22
Plesiogulo

Credit: Viergacht on DeviantArt.

*Plesiogulo* is an extinct genus of mammal that lived during the Miocene to the Pliocene of Eurasia, Africa and North America.

## History

*Plesiogulo* is derived from plesio, meaning close or near, and *Gulo*, the scientific name for a wolverine.

## Classification

When first described, *Plesiogulo* was said to have been an ancestor of the modern wolverine (*Gulo*). Later papers suggest that *Plesiogulo* did not have affiliation with wolverines. Some scientists still consider *Plesiogulo* to be part of Guloninae.

## Species

* *P. crassa*
* *P. lindsayi*
* *P. marshalli*
* *P. monspessulanus*

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plesiogulo

1. ↑ https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=41152
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plesiogulo
Saltillomimus

Credit: Franz Anthony.

"Saltillomimus" is a naked genus of ornithomimid theropod dinosaur that lived in Mexico during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

"Saltillomimus" is known from the Difunta Group, Cerro del Pueblo Formation of Coahuila, Mexico. Martha Martínez (2010) published this dinosaur, but many do not accept it as valid because the thesis lacks a sufficient description, locality data and published on an accepted platform. Nonetheless, it was the fourth Mexican dinosaur 'named' as well as the first articulated dinosaur remains of Mexico. The holotype was unearthed in 1998 by Martha Martínez. The holotype (SEPCP 16/237) is a partial left leg, hip and hand. Another specimen (SEPCP 16/221), likely juvenile, was found later, consisting of hip and leg bones. At the same site, a string of tail vertebrae that was once referred to *Ornithomimus* sp. may represent this taxon.

A skeleton was put on display in 2014 at Museo del Desierto, where Aguillón is considered the resident vertebrate paleontologist. "Saltillomimus" has robust thighs and strange hips, which differentiate it alongside the mosaic of primitive and advanced features seen in Asian and North American ornithomimosaurs. To this day, "Saltillomimus" remains informal because the name was improperly published and no peer review has taken place.

## References

http://www.dinochecker.com/dinosaurs/SALTILLOMIMUS

Ramírez-Velasco, A. A. and Hernández-Rivera, R., 2015. Diversity of late cretaceous dinosaurs from Mexico. Boletín Geológico y Minero, 126 (1): 63-108ISSN: 0366-0176

http://www.revista.unam.mx/vol.16/num11/art86/art86.pdf
SS Mount Temple macrobaenid

A macrobaenid specimen, TMP 1987.002.0001, from Dinosaur Park that may be similar to this specimen.

## Statistics

### Diet

Herbivorous

The SS Mount Template macrobaenid is an indeterminate genus of macrobaenid turtle that lived in Alberta during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

It was part of the cargo hold of the SS Mount Temple, a ship that sunk in the Atlantic in 1916 after a German submarine attacked her. The manifest were "hundreds" or "thousands" of unidentified fossils, 4 articulate hadrosaurs (one cf. *P. walkeri*, 2 *Corythosaurus*? or *Prosaurolophus* and a new species), a partial *Champsosaurus* skeleton (presumed; Sternberg's letters makes a typo), a new hadrosaur, a *Boremys* carapace, a *Trionyx latus* carapace and a fairly complete *Chasmosaurus* skull. All of these fossils were kept in the cargo hold and lost during the sinking. It is known from a shell.

## References

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS7iq7LJ1MA&ab\_channel=RoyalTyrrellMuseumofPalaeontology
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS\_Mount\_Temple#Sinking
Pueyo's frog

## Rana pueyoi

Pueyo's frog *(Rana pueyoi*) is an extinct species of frog that lived in Spain during the Early Miocene.

## History

Pueyo's frog was named by Longinos Navás from sulfur mines near Libros, named after Aragonese engineer and business man José Pueyo Luesma who gave his fossil to Navás.

## Paleobiology

Fossil tadpoles from the Miocene of Libros, Spain represent immature specimens referable to *R. pueyoi*. They were found in in finely-laminated lacustrine mudstones. They have a depressed body, a short tail with low fins, dorso-laterally-directed eyes and jaw sheaths. These are members of the benthic lentic ecomorphological guild, which is found to be exclusive to ranidae through phylogeny. Though they preserve soft tissue, they are made from multiple compounds. Where the brain should be is fully replaced by calcium carbonate, the nerve chord by calcium phosphate and jaw sheaths and bone marrow remain organic. Some show gut contents and coprolites, having consumed fine-grained sedimentary detritus and epiphyton. The body's outline, eyespots, nares, abdomen, notochord, caudal myotomes and fins have a carbonaceous bacterial biofilm. This is also seen in adult *R. pueyoi* from Libros, but no internal structures have this, only the outline. In the adults, but not the juveniles, calcium phosphate and calcium sulphate precipitate with integument. Thus, different life stages of *R. pueyoi* bear different fossilization methods, in response to their ontogenetic stage. Some adults ate tadpoles.

## Gallery

*R. pueyoi* tadpole.*R. pueyoi* tadpoles.*R. pueyoi* tadpole.
## References

1. ↑ Some Fossils of Books (Teruel), Longinos Navás
2. ↑ Deposits with fossil insects in Spain, E. Peñalver, pages 231-245
3. ↑ Eyewitness DK Amphibian, Barry Clarke & Laura Buller, page 9
4. ↑ Expert Guides Fossils, Brenda Lewis, Paula Hammond & Carl Mehling, page 257
5. ↑ https://mariamcnamara.ucc.ie/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2017/11/McNamara-et-al.-2009.-Lethaia-Miocene-tadpoles.pdf
Primoptynx

Credit: HodariNundu on DeviantArt.

*Primoptynx* is an extinct genus of owl that lived in Wyoming during the Early Eocene.

## Description

Unlike modern owls, *Primoptynx* used their talons to carry and dissect their prey. Modern owls use their blunt beaks to tear prey apart. The hind and second digits were considerably longer than the third and fourth toes. Unlike modern owls, *Primoptynx* had large talons, which were roughly the same size on all toes. The remains attributed to the genus is an almost complete postcranial skeleton missing a skull. Scientists were able to distinguish *Primoptynx* from other predatory birds by the tarsometatarsus, which was strong in order to catch large prey. *Primoptynx* was diurnal, rather than nocturnal.

## Paleoecology

*Primoptynx* had the ability to snatch prey with a death grip, using their talons to injure them. Modern owls peck at their prey with the ends of their beaks. According to the study, the region was inhabited by tree-dwelling primates, small rodents or small deer and horses. The study noted that *Primoptynx* would have been able to carry animals the size of a rabbit, before rabbits had lived in the area.

## References

* http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/primoptynx-poliotauros-08698.html
Richmond pliosaur

The Richmond pliosaur, QM F18041 nicknamed "Penny", is an unnamed genus of Polycotylid Pliosaur that lived in Australia during the Early Cretaceous.

## Description

The remains of the Richmond Pliosaur were discovered by Ian Levers, who was tending to cattle. It was donated to Queensland Museum by The family. It was from the Toolebuc formation that dates back to the late Albian. The remains are nearly complete, including the skull, the vertebral column, all 4 flippers, and a compressed rib cage. The tip of the snout has a potential bite mark, it is not yet known if this injury was postmortem. The neck and pectoral also show signs of healing after some sustained injury.

## Classification

QM F18041 represents a very early occurring Polycotylid and possibly suggests that the group evolved in Gondwana, it appears to be related to the genera *Plesiopleurodon* and *Sulcusuchus* within the clade Occultonectia. This cladogram was recovered from Ketchum & Benson (2011):

## References

* https://twitter.com/Val\_Fisch/status/1324822555056840709
* https://www.kronosauruskorner.com.au/museum/collections/penny-the-plesiosaur
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plesiopleurodon#Classification
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycotylidae
Rolfodon

Credit: Hodari Nundu on DeviantArt.

*Rolfodon* is an extinct genus of shark that lived in Africa during, and after, the Cretaceous.

## Description

The largest species, *R. goliath*, reached 5-6 meters in length and *R. ludvigseni* is ~5 meters. The smallest specimens slightly exceeded *Chlamydoselachus* in size. Most species are around 2-3 meters long. The holotype specimen, MUS ANG 23 is a large partial tooth, 20 millimeters long. This specimen was described in 2002, during the beginning of the PaleoAngola project. It and *Chlamydoselachus* have similar tooth morphology, the differentiation being *Rolfodon* teeth having more erect morphology and stout cusps in the side view.

## Classification

Several *Rolfodon* specimens have been previously attributed to *Chlamydoselachus*. The most notable case of this is the massive chlamydoselachid *C. goliath* being reclassified as *R. goliath*.

## Species

* *R. tatere*
* *R. goliath*
* *R. ludvigseni*
* *R. bracheri*
* *R. fiedleri*
* *R. n. sp.* 1-3 or 4

## Paleoecology

R. ludvigensi is named in memory of Dr. Rolf Ludvigsen and are common (especially the smaller teeth) in Collishaw and Manning Point. This is interesting as other chlamydoselachids from these sites are rarer. It is from the Northumberland Formation, which is possibly a shallow marine area of mid-outer shelf (100-300 meters) depths. *R. ludvigensi* being common supports a theory that it occupied a neritic niche during the Cretaceous and began to retreat into the depths after the Miocene. However, the rarity of other chlamydoselachid taxa may suggest that they frequented the depths or areas that did not fossilize and only strayer periodically. Research on *Chlamydoselachus* suggests they segregate based on size and reproductive stages, which may explain why smaller teeth are more common than the large. However, it is unknown if the smaller teeth are mature individuals. Based on the diet of the frilled shark, *R. ludvigseni* was able to eat a variety of creatures as indicated by faunal remains recovered from the Northumberland Formation.

## References

* https://shark-references.com/species/view/Rolfodon-tatere
* https://shark-references.com/species/view/Rolfodon-goliath
* https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2019.1681421
* https://t.co/o5wfC53bYG
* Welton (1979) Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic Squalomorphii of the Northwest Pacific Ocean
* https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28%5B285:ARDEPC%5D2.0.CO;2
* https://t.co/uIi950cjNn
* https://t.co/z2kTLkQti0
* https://t.co/fgVxjehG8X
* https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jji1950/37/3/37\_3\_273/\_pdf
Struthiomimus

Credit: Nobu Tamura.

*Struthiomimus* is an extinct genus of ornithomimid theropods that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

In 1901, Lawrence Lambe discovered CMN 930, a partial pelvis, right leg, and left foot, in the Dinosaur Park Formation (Belly River Group) of Alberta, Canada. He described this as the new species *Ornithomimus altus*, placing it in the genus *Ornithomimus*.

In 1914, Barnum Brown and Peter Kaisen discovered AMNH 5339, a nearly complete skeleton along the Red Deer River near Steveville, Alberta.  This specimen comes from the slightly older Oldman formation.  Based on this find, Henry Fairfield Osborn erected *Struthiomimus* as a subgenus of *Ornithomimus*.

In 1972, Dale Russel elevated *Struthiomimus* to the status of genus.

## Description

An unnamed species is known from the Dinosaur Park and Lower Lance Formation, having a more slender metacarpus than *S. altus*.

## Species

### Reassigned Species

* *S. tenuis* (=nomen dubium)
* *S. lonzeensis*
* *S. breveterius*
* *S. samueli*
* *S. currellii* (=*S. breveterius*, =*Dromiceiomimus breveterius*)
* *S. ingens* (=*S. breveterius*, =*Dromiceiomimus breveterius*)

## Notable Specimens

* CMN 930: The holotype of *S. altus*, partial pelvis, right leg, and left foot.
* AMNH 5339: A nearly complete skeleton of *S. altus*, missing only the end of the tail and the cranium.
* BHI 1266: A likely specimen of *S. sedens.*
* TMP 1996.026.0001: A well preserved skull of *S. altus*.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struthiomimus
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.paleofile.com/Dinosaurs/Theropods/Struthiomimus.asp
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 AMNH Museum Plaque
4. ↑ https://research.amnh.org/paleontology/search.php?action=detail&specimen\_id=48105
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldman\_Formation
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/1334
7. ↑ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04446-1
8. ↑ https://phys.org/news/2022-02-dinosaurs.html
Sacabambaspis

Credit: Nobu Tamura.

*Sacabambaspis* was a tadpole-shaped fish that lived worldwide during the Ordovician period.

## Description

*Sacabambaspis* is a slender bony fish, with a long tail and a boxy plated body. The head is nearly flat, having two large eyes and a jawless mouth in the center. The end of the tail was fluked 2/3 the way down, and ended in a smaller fin on the tip of the tail. There may have been a row of small spines across the dorsal surface of *Sacabambaspis*'s back.

Specimens of three more *Sacabambaspis* have been found, and are thought to have belonged to a different population or species of *Sacabambaspis*. However, research has yet to be done on the fossils.

## Paleoecology

*Sacabambaspis* lived in shallow seas, waggling its tail weakly to move and sucking in food with its gaping jaws.

## Reference

* Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life, p. 38
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacabambaspis
Siamosaurus

Credit: Connor Ashbridge on the Wikimedia Commons.

*Siamosaurus* is a genus of medium sized Spinosaurid dinosaur; that lived in Thailand during the Early Cretaceous period.

## History

Éric Buffetaut and his colleague Rucha Ingavat discovered teeth from Phu Pratu Teema, Sao Khua Formation. By 1983, it was unknown which animal these were from, but they were determined to be either from an "unusual theropod, or some unknown crocodilian". In 1986, a reassessment found them as a new genus, *Siamosaurus*. The epithet is after Varavudh Suteethorn and the genus means "Siamese lizard".

## Description

Size estimates vary because it is so incomplete. Postcrania and teeth SM2016-1-147 and SM2016-1-165 are in the Sirindhorn Museum in Thailand, with a caudal series possibly referable described by a dissertation by Samathi. SM-PW9B-11 to 17, SM-PW9B, SM-PW9A-unnumbered, SM-PW9-unnumbered and SM 2017-1-176 were called "Phuwing spinosaurid B" by Samathi, being similar to *Camarillasaurus* and *Baryonyx*. Two partial skeletons and a tooth are also referable.

## Paleobiology

   Siamosaurus bears signs of being a generalist carnivore. Isolate tooth crowns found in direct associated with sauropod material indicate that it was either a predator of them or an opportunistic scavenger.

## References

1. ↑ http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2012/04/1986-siamosaurus-suteethorni.html?m=1
2. ↑ http://bionames.org/references/b59a520799fa193c4549b19075d59f3b
3. ↑ http://www.sdm.dmr.go.th/db/datafossils\_detailf.php?id=00000000000000219641
4. ↑ http://www.sdm.dmr.go.th/db/datafossils\_detailf.php?id=00000000000000219713
5. ↑ http://www.sdm.dmr.go.th/db/datafossils\_detailf.php?id=00000000000000219621
6. ↑ http://www.sdm.dmr.go.th/db/datafossils\_detailf.php?id=00000000000000219641
7. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260714806\_The\_evolution\_of\_large-bodied\_therood\_dinosaurs\_during\_the\_Mesozoic\_in\_Asia
8. ↑ https://bonndoc.ulb.uni-bonn.de/xmlui/handle/20.500.11811/8088
9. ↑ https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-%E2%80%9C%CF%87%E2%80%9D-of-the-Matter%3A-Testing-the-Relationship-and-Sales-Lacerda/4dc98d4c53064e319f3070ba0bc36471caa6cf64
10. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4734717/
Puzosia

*Puzosia* is an extinct genus of ammonite that lived nearly worldwide from the Early to the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Puzosia*'s shell is disc-shaped, with a wide umbiicaus, with ribs that are wide-spaced, interrupted by about six sinuous constrictions per whorl. The whorls are somewhat compressed, are higher than wide, have a slightly rounded venter and slightly convex sides. The suture on the shell is ammonitic.

## Species

* *P. (P.) mayoriana*
* *P. (P.) planulatus*
* *P. alaskana*
* *P. aldersona*
* *P. angladei*
* *P. bistricta*
* *P. brasiliana*
* *P. buenaventura*
* *P. crebrisulcata*
* *P. cuvervillei*
* *P. diadema*
* *P. dilleri*
* *P. hoffmani*
* *P. intermedia*
* *P. jimboi*
* *P. lata*
* *P. garajauana*
* *P. lata*
* *P. longmani*
* *P. lytoceroides*
* *P. media*
* *P. puma*
* *P. quenstedti*
* *P. reesidei*
* *P. rosarica*
* *P. skidegatensis*
* *P. spathi*
* *P. subquadrata*
* *P. sullivanae*
* *P. tenuis*

## Classification

*Puzosia (Puzosia)*, *Bhimaites*, *Anapuzosia* and *Latidorsella* are all subgenera of *Puzosia*.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puzosia
* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=15560
Proornis

Proposed holotype of "Proornis". Credit: kchwoo9/wikicommons.

"Proornis", publicized as the "*Archaeopteryx* of Korea" is a *nomen nudum* genus of confuciusornithid avialan that lived in North Korea during the Early Cretaceous.

## History

"Proornis" is known from two specimens discovered in the Sinuiju formation that were publicized in 1993. It was identified as an avialan and immediately compared to the famous *Archaeopteryx*.

The name "Proornis coreae" was proposed by Pak and Kim in 1996. However, this name was published in a North Korean Government Publication, not a peer-reviewed journal, so it is a *nomen nudum*.

In 2007, Li and Gao reevaluated the specimens and found that they represent a confuciusornithid, closely related to *Confuciusornis* and *Changchengornis*, both from the Yixian Formation in Liaoning, China.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proornis
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292714994\_Early\_Cretaceous\_birds\_and\_pterosaurs\_from\_the\_Sinuiju\_Series\_and\_geographic\_extension\_of\_the\_Jehol\_Biota\_into\_the\_Korean\_Peninsula
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciusornis
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changchengornis
Protathlitis

Credit: Grup Guix.

Protathlitish is an extinct genus of baryonychine spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in Castellon, Cinctorres, Spain during the Early Cretaceous.

## History

The holotypic locality was discovered in 1998 but went un-studied until 2002, with this genus named in 2023. The generic name is Greek for "champion", in reference to the 2020/2021 UEFA Europa League, in which Villareal C.F. won and the club's centenary being on the year of publication; the specific name references the town of Cinctorres, host to the remains.

## Description

It is estimated to be up to 10-11 meters long and equivalent to *Suchomimus* in size. It was named from holotype 8ANA-109 (fragment of the maxilla) and 3ANA83, 4ANA43, 4ANA69, 4ANA76 and 5ANA78 (caudals) discovered from the ANA site, Arcillas de Morella Formation.

## Classification

Analysis by Santos Cubedo et al. (2023) suggests that *Protathlitis* was, as of publication, the basalmost baryonychine.

## Paleoecology

This taxon is known from the Arcillas de Morella Formation, dated to the Barremian of the Early Cretaceous. It lived with *Iguanodon bernissartensis* and *Morelladon*, sauropods and the spinosaur *Vallibonavenatrix*. This suggests that the Iberian Peninsula hosted many large-bodied spinosaurs; as it is believed that spinosaurids evolved in Europe and spread into Afro-Asia, it is suggested that the Iberian Peninsula is crucial in understanding these events.

## Sources

* https://abcnews.go.com/International/new-dinosaur-species-spinosaurid-discovered-spain-researchers/story?id=99390195
* https://www.sci.news/paleontology/protathlitis-cinctorrensis-11931.html
* https://www.reuters.com/science/new-dinosaur-found-spain-illuminates-history-meat-eating-group-2023-05-18/
* https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/65645549
* https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2023/may/new-species-spinosaur-suggests-predators-co-existed-western-europe.html
* https://novataxa.blogspot.com/2023/05/protathlitis.html
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protathlitis
Saltriovenator

Before formal naming or identification, this organism was known as the following on this wiki:
**"Saltriosaurus"** and **"Saltriosauro"**

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

*Saltriovenator* is an extinct genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in Italy during the Early Jurassic.

## History

A special exhibition for ~132 (?) remains of a theropod dinosaur was put on by Christiano Dal Sasso at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano (?) in 2000. These bones belonged to the genus *Saltriovenator*, but were given the name "Saltriosauro" by Dal Sasso because he thought they represented another animal. The name has been Latinized to "Saltriosaurus" in literature (including scientific), but has remained an informal nomen nudum.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltriovenator
* https://peerj.com/articles/5976/
* http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/s/saltriovenator.html