recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Khoratamia

Head region of the holotype.

*Khoratamia* is an extinct genus of Sinamiid ray-finned fish that lived in Thailand during the Early Cretaceous.

## History

The holotype is from Ban Krok Duean Ha of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province and discovered during a Thai-Japanese joint excavation in 2018. The holotype is NRRU-F01020023, the paratype NRRU-F01020024 and a patch of scales NRRU-F01020025 were all deposited at the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources. The holotype is a 3D anterior half of an individual that was broken in the field and glued in the lab. The paratype is a partially-articulate postcrania including the squamation and vertebrae, but lacking a fin due to preservation quality. The paratype is a larger specimen. The fossils were excavated with a hammer to wear down rock, thus shattering the material and stored for reparations with glue at a later time. In preparation, a pointed chisel of 4 millimeters was used for farther sediment and a needlepoint and a small air scribe for the fossil surface. This took much time to do under a binocular scope. A taxon from Khok Pha Suam is very similar to this one.

## Description

*Khoratamia* is diagnosed by a crescent preopercular and a broad dorsal end, four extrascapular pairs, the six medial pairs being rectangular and the lateralmost being elongate and triangular, the parietal tapering is unpaired and narrows to the posterior end, the pyriform-shaped gular plate has a smooth undulate posterior margin, the ventral postinfraorbital is elongate and tapers to the posterior, the dorsal postinfraorbital is small, the teeth are high and cylindrical with marked fine ridges and an acrodin cap with cutting carinae similar to arrowheads on conical enamel stalk, serrated posterior margins on rhombic scales and a keel on the internal surface on the scale's center as well as the lacking of peg-and-socket articulation in the scales. The fish was elongate and cylindrical in bauplan, with a holotypic head length of 45 millimeters (factoring in the opercular series) and about 25 in depth. No ganoin cover is found over the head ossifications and the cranial roof bones have faint rugose ornaments. Rhombic scales cover the body. The anterior part of the dorsal fin can be seen on the right side of the holotype, including parts of the paired fins on the left side of the holotype.

## Paleoecology

This region may have marked a diversification of this clade, such as the presence of the taxon at Khok Pha Suam. This clade was important to continental aquatic vertebrate faunas in Thailand. Much of the sinamiid lineage is a ghost, and convergent evolution further obscures their origins. Phylogenetic analysis weakly supports allyship with the amiins. It is yet impossible to discount if early amiins did stem from sinamiins through character states, since their evolutionary record is nearly blank during the Cretaceous interval.
Kallokibotion

*Kallokibotion* is an extinct genus of turtle that lived in Europe during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

*Kallokibotion bajazidi* was named by Franz Nopsca after his lover, Bajazid Doda. The full name means "beautiful box of Bajazid". Nopsca chose the name, as paleontologist Gareth Dyke says:

—Gareth Dyke
However, Darren Naish hypothesizes that that scientific epithet was intended to honour Doda, with the generic name intended to reference the morphology of the shell. This is because the original description does not say if the name is an innuendo, with that interpretation originating with Dyke.

## Classification

*Kallokibotion* was originally thought to have been a pterosaur, *Thalassodromeus*, in 2014. It was then placed in Meiolaniidae. After phylogenetic analysis, *Kallokibotion* was placed in stem Testudines.

## Synonyms

* *Kallokibotium* (lapsus) *bajazidi*
* *Kallokibotium* (lapsus) *manificum*
* *Thalassodromeus sebesensis*

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallokibotion
* https://twitter.com/TetZoo/status/1402719768713564161
Electrinocellia

*Electrinocellia* is an extinct genus of snakefly that lived in Europe during the Eocene.

## Description

*Electrinocellia* is known from the holotype specimen, was discovered in a cube of Baltic amber. The holotype is a male coloured dark brown. This genus has several specialized traits that other modern insects lacks. 39 years after its discovery, *Electrinocellia* was finally published in Psyche journal, specializing in etymology.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrinocellia
MOR 692

MOR 692 is an unnamed genus of centrosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

MOR 692 may or may not represent *Avaceratops* material. This material is represented by an incomplete skull, with a frill, short curved horns, eye orbits and part of the mandible. It is estimated that this skulls horns are about 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) long.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avaceratops
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr7u0U4u5bo
MPC-D 100/1359

Credit: Yusik Choi.

MPC-D 100/1359 is an unnamed genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

MPC-D 100/1359 is 84-72 million years ago from a skeleton found by Yuong-Nam Lee et al. from the Gobi Desert. The skeleton was articulated, and relatively complete, something rare of ankylosaurs. MPC-D 100/1359 bears strong forelimbs with observed traits adapted to digging. It lived in a semi-arid environment, where it could dig for roots, subsurface water (like African elephants do) and hide underfoot from predators. It was excavated in 2008 as one of 700 vertebrate fossils over a 5-year span, which took time to study due to limited human resources.

## References

* https://www.newscientist.com/article/2271832-giant-armoured-dinosaur-may-have-dug-in-the-ground-for-food-and-water/
* https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83568-4
Lamplughsaura

Credit: AntoninJury on DeviantArt.

*Lamplughsaura* is an extinct genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived in India during the Early Jurassic.

## Description

*Lamplughsaura* is known from several partial skeletons. *Lamplughsaura* is quadrupedal, and around 10 meters long.

## Classification

*Lamplughsaura*'s placement in the dinosaur family tree is under debate. Scientists first placed *Lamplughsaura* as a basal non-sauropod sauropodomorph, but is now thought to have a basal sauropod.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamplughsaura
MPSC R 1935

Credit: @fishboy86164577 on Twitter.

MPSC R 1935 is an unnamed genus of anhanguerid that lived in Brazil during the Middle Cretaceous.

## Description

The unnamed genus is based off of a juvenile specimen one year old. The juvenile had to 5-5.5 meters wingspan. It is speculated that adults could have been much larger.

## References

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667120303542?dgcid=raven\_sd\_aip\_email
Loligosepia

L. bucklandi gladius NHM 37532.

*Loligosepia* is an extinct genus of loligosepiid coleoid cephlopod that lived in Germany and the United Kingdom from the Triassic to the Jurassic.

## History

The type, *L. bucklandi*, was originally placed into *Loligo* by Buckland (who it was named after), as was common practice at the time. However, F.A. Quenstedt thought the fossils needed a new genus, erecting *Loligosepia* as an indeterminate form of *Loligo* and *Sepia*, and so Quenstedt combined the two names to form *Loligosepia*. However, Phillipe Louis Voltz (1840), unaware of Quendstedt (1839)'s updates, named *Belopeltis*, which is now a subjective synonym. Alternatively, Graf zu Münster (1843) and S.P. WoodWard (1851) in a textbook on molluscs coined *Geoteuthis*. This was used for quite some time, but *Loligosepia* then regained validity and the former fell into obscurity. At one point, an *L. aalensis* from the Lower Toarcian was valid. It was differentiated by a narrower gladius and arcuate zones, but is not listed as valid anymore.

## Description

Voltz (1840) only mentions a specimen reported by Buckland (1836), OUM J3530. Thus, it is the holotype of the genus. Most gladius specimens were crushed, but 3D specimens brought to light by Desmond T. Donovan and Sigurd Von Boletzky (2014) were redescribed. These were recovered from calcareous concretions, showing a strong posterior curve. These also preserve soft tissue in the cross section.

## Paleoecology

*Loligosepia* lived in shallow coastal waters. Specimens are recovered from the Black Ven Marl Member, Charmouth Mudstone Formation. These are characterized by rhythmic cyclicity, laminated shales, was laid when anoxic conditions precluded benthic fauna and alternating calcareous marls and cementstones (several meters in thickness). This squid was not buoyant; if it stopped swimming, it would have sank. *Loligosepia* could subsist on negligible oxygen levels, though some believe modern coleoids could not have evolved in these conditions. Likely, individuals who sank into the anoxic seafloor fossilized.

Specimens referred to as *L. aalensis* are known from the southern German Posidonia shale.

## References

* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264090941\_Loligosepia\_Cephalopoda\_Coleoidea\_from\_the\_Lower\_Jurassic\_of\_the\_Dorset\_coast\_England
* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=15958
Mesodescolea

*Mesodescolea* is an extinct genus of angiosperm leaf that lived in South America during the Early Cretaceous.

## Description

*Mesodescolea* was originally identified as a cycad, later being reclassified.

## References

* https://twitter.com/Lepidodendron/status/1261327019658412034
* https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nph.16657
Latromirus

Credit: Avancna.

*Latromirus* is a naked genus of cheloniellid that lived in Wisconsin during the Silurian.

## Etymology

*Laromirus* was first published under the placeholder "*Xus yus*", which was cited as meaning "extraordinary hunter", although it is actually a meaningless combination used as a preprint name (as not to leak the official taxon name) in 2018. The preprint name was published in bioRxiv by Wendruff et al. (2018), but the official name has still not been formally published.

They stated the preprint derived from X ("extraordinary") and US ("hunter") and *yus* referring to a three-pronged spear, referring to the postabdomen. The official species name, "*tridens*", refers to the postabdomen.

## Description

*Latromirus* can be differentiated by two raptorial limbs that emerge from under the cephalon. *Latromirus* are found from Telychian-aged Brandon Bridge Formation of Southeastern Wisconsin, near Waukesha. The local biosedimentation indicates the area was offshore of a shallow-water environment, and the remains were carried by water currents from nearby areas. Various corpses were undisturbed long enough for algae and sediment to blanket them before decaying or before scavengers or burrowing organisms could tough them.

## References

* https://incertaesedisblog.wordpress.com/2021/07/12/xus-yus-the-problem-of-placeholder-names-in-preprints/
* https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2018/09/07/407379.full.pdf
Kurupi

Credit: Júlia D'Oliveira.

*Kurupi* is an extinct genus of abelisaurid that lived in Brazil during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

The holotype of *Kurupi* was found near Motel Paraiso, a love hotel, with it's epithet name translating to "rock hard" and it's genus name after the god of fertility as such. The species name was allegedly chosen due to cemented rocks in the Monte Alto region, but it is almost certainly a sexual innuendo. Together it means "rock hard Kurupi" or "rock hard god of sex'

## Description

 File:Kurupi skeletal.png  MPMA 27-0001/02 is the holotype, consisting of three caudals and a partial pelvic girdle. The caudals are fused with the ischia, having long and laterodorsally-projecting transverse processes. The distal ends are fan-shaped. A ∼15º inclination of the C1 and C7 processes, a C1 with anterolaterally-projecting triangular processes sit below the proximodistal middle of the transverse process with a notch at the anterodistal and anterior caudals (seen in C1 and C7 and assumed for the others) having a cuneiform process that anterodorsally projects and sits at the dorsal of the process all differentiate this taxon. It's large tail and cursorial locomotion is observed from muscle anchor points in the remains.

## Paleoecology

It is known from the Bauru Basin, which would have been arid/semiarid in life. A recent reappraisal of lithological composition results in a poor vertebrate fossil record, making *Kurupi* one of the first named species from this locality.

## Classification

*Kurupi* sits in an unresolved polytomy within the clade.

## References

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0895981121003977
Itapeuasaurus

*Itapeuasaurus* is an extinct genus of rebbachisaur that lived in Brazil during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Itapeuasaurus* is known from a fragmentary skeleton, which was first found by fisherman Carlos Wagner Silva on a beach. Aside from the humerus Silva had found, several other limb bones and vertebrae were collected. *Itapeuasaurus* was described in 2019.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itapeuasaurus
Painted vulture

## Sarcoramphus sacra?

Credit: David Day?.

The painted vulture (*Sarcoramphus sacra* or *Sarcoramphus papa sacra*) is an extinct hypothetical species that lived in Florida and went extinct in the 1930s.

## History

In the 1770s, William Bertram travelled to Florida and took notes on the organisms he encountered. One of the birds noted was the "painted vulture", assigned a designation of *Sarcoramphus sacra* or *Sarcoramphus papa sacra*. He notes the bird appeared like a normal king vulture, with a white feather tail rather than a white one. He also claims the bird was relatively common, even stating one had been caught by him. However, no other naturalists have documented this species since description. Around 60 years later, the validity of Bertram's vulture to be questioned; John Cassin writes it is the most inviting issue in North American ornithology. In 1734, Eleazar Albin painted a bird which looks very similar to Bertram's accounts, and is sometimes referred as a painted, rather than king, vulture.

Most early ornithologists defended Bertram's accounts, but Joel Asaph Allen argued that the bird was simply a creation of many birds spliced together to create a nonexistent bird. Allen further adds that the documented behaviour is nearly identical to the caracara. Bertram observes the birds chasing wildfires to scavenge weak and burned insects and box turtles. This behaviour is expected in caracaras, but king vultures have stubby legs, weak for walking regularly. Additionally, the crested caracara is considered common in Florida when Bertram visited, but are notably absent in his notes. However, Francis Harper argues the bird could have been rare in the 1930s and been missed.

Harper also noticed Bertrams noted were considerably expanded and altered when printed, with the signature white tail appearing printed for the first time since his initial account. Harper believed that Bertram attempted to recover specific details from memory and mistook the tail's colouration. At a later date, many have tried to prove the existence of king vultures or a close relative in Florida. This has caused a new theory: that the population was in a state of decline and went extinct during a cold spell. William McAtee notes that Floridian birds have a pattern in forming subspecies, possibly having the painted vulture be a subspecies of the king vulture.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King\_vulture#Bartram's\_%22painted\_vulture%22
Judithian ceratopsian

Credit: Triebold Paleontology Inc..

The Judithian ceratopsian, "Ava", is an unnamed genus of ceratopsian that lived in North America during te Late Cretaceous.

## Description

The animals skull is about 1 meters long, recovered from a relatively crushed state, features a hornless, bulbous nasal cavity, a curved frill lined with osteoderms and two inward-curving and short brow horns. The animal takes a strong resemblance to *Nasutoceratops*, however is a juvenile. Roughly 80% of the skeleton was recovered. Ava's remains bear sign of skin impressions.

## Gallery

**Credit: Triebold Paleontology Inc..****Credit: Triebold Paleontology Inc..****Credit: Josh Cotton.****Credit: Scott Hartman.****Credit: Triebold Paleontology Inc..****Credit: Andrey Atuchin.****Credit: Brian Engh.**
## References

https://trieboldpaleontology.com/ava.html
North American spinosaur

The North American spinosaur is a proposed genus of spinosaurid that lived in North America, likely during the Cretaceous.

## History

According to Darren Naish, he, Phil Currie and Tracy Ford presented an abstract at a conference about spinosaur teeth from North America. However, their idea was rejected and the team quickly gave up on it due to time constraints and other work. The teeth were first published as "*Paronychodon*". Colin Boisvert said, "there are possible spinosaurids in the BYU collection." (Pers. commun.) Meaning there are potentially multiple Spinosaurid remains housed within BYU with Spinosaurid affinities.

## Paleoecology

Spinosaurs in North America are enigmatic and may or may not have existed for these reasons: either taphonomic bias has taken place and many species have not fossilized, spinosaurs never crossed into North America or that remains such as teeth were mistaken for something else. Tor Bertin has suggested spinosaur teeth from China dated to around the time North America and Asia were joint, as well as how spinosaurs have a widespread distribution, could suggest that spinosaurs did cross over and enter western North America. Bertin has also suggested teeth were misidentified as crocodilian. Additionally, it has been proposed that there were "almost certainly" more subfamilies in Spinosauridae, so a North American subfamily may not be impossible (but no research has been done to test this).

## References

* https://twitter.com/TetZoo/status/1460752500236206083
* https://twitter.com/TetZoo/status/1467239212080672772
* https://twitter.com/TetZoo/status/1467241039253618699
* https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-do-we-know-about-spinosaurs-89178721/
* https://twitter.com/TetZoo/status/1467559245335965706
Macroelongatoolithus

Beibeilong caring for Macroelongatoolithus. Credit: Zhao Chuang.

*Macroelongatoolithus* is an extinct oogenus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in Asia and North America during the Cretaceous.

## Description

*Macroelongatoolithus* was likely laied by oviraptorid dinosaurs, and are known for their long shape. They were originally classified as eggs laid by *Tarbosaurus* or *Tyrannosaurus*, but recent research hows the eggs belong to massive oviraptorids.

The egg shell is divided into an inner, and outer layer, the latter segment composed of smaller egg units. The boundary between layers is clearly wavy. The eggs were collected in large clutches, and were illegally sold by fossil traders, only to be donated to a museum.

Each egg has noticeable nodes, rough spots, and ridges on the outer egg shell. *Macroelongatoolithus* was discovered alongside *Beibeilong*, which is now thought to be the egg's mother.

*Macroelongatoolithus* from the Cedar Mountain Formation are from a *Gigantoraptor*-like taxon or maybe *Gigantoraptor* itself, which had migrated from Asia during a North American/Asian faunal exchange.

## Species

* *M. carlylei*
* *M. goseongensis*
* *M. xixiaensis*
* *M. zhangi*

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroelongatoolithus
* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=98798
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thhb6Jy-Acw&t=801s&ab\_channel=TateGeologicalMuseum
Metalopex

*Metalopex* is an extinct genus of canid that lived during the Late Miocene in North America.

## Classification

*Metalopex'*s sister taxon is *Urocyon*, related based on dentition morphology, which is shared by the two genera, *Otocyon* and *Protocyon*.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metalopex
* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=300796
Manitoba pliosaur

Credit: Triebold Paleontology Inc..

The Manitoba pliosaur, affectionately nicknamed Chomper, is an unnamed genus of pliosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

—Claudette Leclerc, CEO of the Manitoba Museum
The pliosaur was unearthed in 2002 by Wayne Buckley, and was donated to the museum in 2014. The specimen is currently being written on by a team from Gakugei University and the Canadian Museum of Nature, who plan to publish their research. Currently, an exhibit on Chomper is being held at the Manitoba Museum's Earth History Gallery, where a reconstruction of the specimen is hanging from the ceiling and a cast of the specimen is being presented.

## Description

   The specimen is known from a single skull and vertebrae, which was 131 centimeters (4.1 feet) upon discovery and 116 centimeters (3.8) when restored by Triebold Paleontology Inc. and the Manitoba Museum. This material was restored by mirroring its image with other pliosaur skulls, hollow casting, 3D scanning and printing. When Chomper died, it was 5.5 meters (18 feet) long, but adults could have reached 12 meters (40 feet) long. The front half of the body was preserved.

## References

* https://www.trieboldpaleontology.com/marine-reptiles/manitoba-pliosaur
* https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pliosaur-manitoba-museum-1.3716843
Iguanodontipus

Credit: Anthony Romilio.

*Iguanodontipus* is an extinct ichnogenus of iguanodontid dinosaur that lived in Spain and Germany during the Late Jurassic.

## Classification

*Iguanodontipus* is classified in the ichnofamily Iguanodontipodidae, in Ornithischia.

## Distribution

*Iguanodontipus* lived in Spain and Germany in the Late Jurassic.

## References

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_dinosaur\_ichnogenera#I
Napaisaurus

*Napaisaurus* is an extinct genus of iguanodontian dinosaur that lived in China during the Early Cretaceous.

## Description

*Napaisaurus* is known from a right ilium and ischium, discovered in 2020 showing diagnostic qualities. This led to its naming in 2021 based on mixed characters. It is the first basal iguanodont of China, named after the Napai Basin where it was found, greatly expanding dinosaur knowledge in this area.

## References

https://global.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/11.3474.P.20210907.1722.002.html
Kaiparowits Dromaeosaur

The Kaiparowits Dromaeosaur is an unnamed genus of Dromaeosaur that lived in Utah during the Late Certaceous.

## Description

The taxon is known from one fossil. It is a part of an unprepared block, so it's specific relations isn't currently understood. It may also be the same taxon as on of the 2 tooth morphs of Dromaeosaurs known from the Kaiparowits, the *Dromaeosaurus* type (A), or the *Saurornitholestes*/*Atrociraptor*/*Bambiraptor* type (B).

## References

* Zanno, Lindsay E.; Loewen, Mark A.; Farke, Andrew A.; Kim, Gy-Su; Claessens, Leon P. A. M.; McGarrity, Christopher T. (2013). "Late Cretaceous Theropod Dinosaurs of Southern Utah" Titus, Alan L.; Loewen, Mark A. (eds.). At the Top of the Grand Staircase-The Late Cretaceous of Southern Utah. Indiana University Press. pp. 504–525. ISBN 9780253008961
Perditicetus

*Perditicetus* is an extinct genus of dolphin that lived in Oregon during the Late Oligocene to the Middle Miocene.

## Classification

*Perditicetus* is one of the basalmost derived platanistoids. Phylogenetic analysis show that *Perditicetus* and *Chilcacetus* are not closely related, though *Perditicetus* is the sister taxon to Platanistidae.

## References

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14772019.2020.1783379?journalCode=tjsp20
Leptostomia

Credit: Joschua Knüppe.

*Leptostomia* is a genus of presumed azhdarchoid pterosaur that lived in Morocco during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Leptostomia* is known from two beak fragments, which belonged to a small pterosaur. The fragments were mostly flat, with thick walls. Scientists think that its hyperelongated flat beak was used like a kiwi birds; for probe feeding.

Kiwi birds probe the soil in patterns, searching for earthworms in the soil. Unlike kiwis, which have nostrils at the tips of their beaks causing them to have to puff air out of them, *Leptostomia* likely has nostrils further back in the face. Probe-feeding works as follows: the animal taps their beak on the undergrowth floor, searching for prey items out of sight (kiwis can sense earthworms up to 3 centimeters underground). The animal then pokes its beak into the soil, grabs hold of the prey item, then wiggles its beak to widen the hole. The animal then swallows the prey item.

It is unknown with the elongated beak would have been used for, and more material of *Leptostomia* will have to be uncovered and described.

## Classification

*Leptostomia* was first interpreted as a pterodactyloid, but further studies indicate the pterosaur belongs to a new azhdarchoid clade.

## References

* Smith, Roy E., et al. “A Long-Billed, Possible Probe-Feeding Pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: ?Azhdarchoidea) from the Mid-Cretaceous of Morocco, North Africa.” *Cretaceous Research*, Academic Press, 10 Sept. 2020, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667120303293
* https://twitter.com/JamaleIjouiher/status/1304124740085387266
* https://www.kiwisforkiwi.org/about-kiwi/kiwi-facts-characteristics/an-unusual-beak/
Nunatsiaquus

*Nunatsiaquus* is an extinct genus of spheroidal acritarch that lived in the Canadian Arctic during the Neoproterozoic.

## Etymology

*Nunatsiaquus* derives from Nunatsiaq, the Inuktitut word for the Northwester Territories of the Canadian Arctic. The species, *cryptotorus*, refers to the Latin crypticus, meaning "hidden" and torus, meaning "tore".

## Description

In a 2019 study, many microfossils from the Canadian Arctic were named. Among them was *Nunatsiaquus*, known from eight specimens catalogued as 74641-L34 of sample 15RAT-021A1. The vesicle is circular, but was originally sphaeroidal. The wall is smooth and optically densel. The wall's inner surface is lined with round or polygonal depressions. These are surrounded by an elevated rim and are adorned with a central knob that is visible only after removing the vesicle wall. *Nunatsiaquus* differs from *Dictyosphaera* because of the ornemantations shape and placement in the inner wall, which are donut-shaped. The vesicles breakage indicate the wall is not formed by many platelets. All depressions are circular and ~1 micrometer in dimeter, which also differentiates this taxon on a genus-level. The authors note the ornamentation may reveal a previously-overlooked diversity in Proterozoic assemblages.

## References

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030192681830216X?via%3Dihub
Oesia

*Oesia* is an extinct genus of invertebrate that lived in Canada during the Middle Cambrian.

## Description

*Oesia* is round, featuring two sides, one appearing to be a mouth, and the other a fluke. 1147 specimens of *Oesia* have been collected from the Burgess Shale. The exact phylogeny of this organism is unknown, but presumed to be part of Hemichordata.
Merothrips aithiopicus

*Merothrips aithiopicus* is an extinct species of thrip that lived in Ethiopia likely during the Miocene.

## History

*M. aithiopicus* derives from the classical Greek Αιθιοπία (Aithiopia), the historical African region, including Ethiopia. Merothrips

## Description

The holotype is female. Though the pair of lobes located at the posterior margin (seventh abdominal sternite) is invisible, the antennal sensoria's form, the abdominal tergite X having trichobothria, the wings having pointed tips and the enlarged fore femora suggest *M. aithiopicus* is a Merothripid, which usually have nine-segmented antennae. However, *Merothrips* Hood members have eight antennomeres. *M. aithiopicus* being differentiated on the species is supported by the trapezoidal pronotum and the wing venation and the chaetotaxy in the wing's scales.

## References

* http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2020/06/merothrips-aithiopicus.html
* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341831216\_Two\_fossil\_thrips\_from\_Ethiopian\_amber\_Thysanoptera\_with\_description\_of\_Merothrips\_aithiopicus\_sp\_n\_Thysanoptera\_Merothripidae
Odintsovo finds

A specimen (left) compared to a somewhat flattened human brain (right).

The Odintsovo finds is an extinct genus of possible elephant that lived in Moscow during the Early or early Middle Pleistocene.

## History

Two, large, deformed (flattened at the top) "fossilized brains" were reported as being discovered from Odintsovo railroad station near Moscow in 1925, found 10 meters from the surface in a clay quarry. At first, the fossils were compared to human brains by Soviet and foreign anatomists using both casts and the originals, and assigned to *Homo heidelbergensis* (a northern species) since it was supposedly found in Mindel-Riss glaciation sediment. However, it was determined that they were swept in from another, pre-Mindelian place by glaciers and into the quarry. Other investigations took place, placing scrutiny on this idea and assigning them to another large mammal. Some thought that brains could not fossilize, though fossil elephants with preserved brains are documented from other locations. They are either an anomalous concretion or organic, with microsectional analysis revealing morphology that may suggest the latter. Authors such as Debets (1952) believed that Mindelian/pre-Mindelian *Homo* sp. with large brains living north of Moscow were "beyond the wildest imagination", and uses that as evidence for discarding the concept. The brains have many characters that are not exclusive to humans, so another large mammalian origin is likely. Some suggest they belong to an elephant.

## References

* https://antropogenez.ru/fossil/134/
* https://www.jstor.org/stable/3628554
PVSJ 883

Credit: Garcia et al., 2019.

PVSJ 883 is an unnamed genus of lagerpetids that lived in Argentina during the Triassic.

## Description

The taxon is known from the Distal end of the left femur, allowing for direct comparison with every Ischigualasto lagerpetid to be directly compared. Garcia et. al. didn't state any autapomorphies of PVSJ 883, just referring it as "[an] unnamed Lagerpetid from Ischigualasto."

## References

* Garcia, M. S., Müller, R. T., Da-Rosa, Á. A. S., & Dias-da-Silva, S. (2019). The oldest known co-occurrence of dinosaurs and their closest relatives: A new lagerpetid from a Carnian (Upper Triassic) bed of Brazil with implications for dinosauromorph biostratigraphy, early diversification and biogeography. Journal of South American Earth Sciences.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischigualasto\_Formation?wprov=sfla1
Megalocoelacanthus

Before formal naming or identification, this organism was known as the following on this wiki:
**Unnamed coelacanth**

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

*Megalocoelacanthus* is an extinct genus of large coelacanth that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

Disarticulated remains are known from the Eutaw, Mooreville Chalk and Blufftown Formations of North America. Despite no complete specimens are known, careful analysis of the bones show that *Megalocoelacanthus* was closely affiliated with it's older cousin, *Libys*. They were very large; 3.5-4.5 meters in length. The species epithet is derived from herpetologist James L. Dobie.

## References

* https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0049911
* https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23209614/
* https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.2014.838176
Microtomarctus

Brain casts of Microtomarctus and Aelurodon.

*Microtomarctus* is an extinct genus of canid that lived during the Early/Middle Miocene in North America.

## Description

Fossils that range all over North America show that *Microtomarctus* was a predatory, medium sized canid with strong jaws and teeth.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microtomarctus
MNA V.11350

MNA V.11350 is an unnamed genus of polycotylid plesiosaur that lived in Utah during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

MNA V.11350 is a partial skeleton with skull, mandible, teeth, pectoral girdle, the right humerus, vertebrae and ribs of polycotylid found in the Tropic Shale, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in 2021 and excavated in 2013. It was 1.5 meters above bentonite C, being Early Turonian in age. It is partially articulate, with the posterior eroding from a hillside before discovery. The pterygoid posteriorly comprises of a large portion of the palate, separated in 2 by interpterygoid vacuities and a robust parasphenoid with a distinct ventral keel along the midline; the pterygoids anteriorly join to form a sheet, not separating to form the anterior interpterygoid vacuity. The lack of this seen in *Pahasapasaurus*.

## References

https://vertpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SVP\_2021\_VirtualBook\_final.pdf
Paracordylodus

Artist unknown

*Paracordylodus* is an extinct genus of Conodont that lived in Australia during the Ordovician(?).

## Classification

Only one species, *P. gracilis* has been discovered to date from New South Wales in Australia. *Paracordylodus* is in the clade Prioniodontida, the complex Conodonts.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracordylodus
Kootenayscolex

Credit: Karma Nanglu.

*Kootenayscolex* is an extinct genus of incertae sedis proto-annelid that lived in British Columbia throughout the Cambrian.

## Description

*Kootenayscolex* exhibits primitive traits that show the evolution of annelid worm. The head segment shows traits of a generic body segment; as in bristles sticking out of it, which no living annelid has. In total, the aquatic worm has about 56 bristles and 25 segments. Hundreds of trace fossils belonging to *Kootenayscolex* have been found, one no more than 1 inch in length. *Kootenayscolex* worms appear to have been bottom feeding sediment-sifters on the sea/lake floor.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kootenayscolex
Mindarus harringtoni

*Mindarus harringtoni* is an extinct species of aphid that lived in Lithuania during the Eocene.

## History

*M. harringtoni* was discovered by Richard Harrington when he won an Ebay auction for the prized specimen, and sent to Ole Heie, who confirmed it was a new, extinct species. The amber was later analyzed, and was to be named *M. ebayi*, but later changed for being "flippant". It is now housed at the Natural History Museum. It was sold for £20 (US$27.11).

## Description

The individual was 3-4 millimeters long. The specimen was named after the discoverer; Richard Harrington as *M. harringtoni*, but was originally named *M. ebayi* after the site it was bought from. It was gummivorous, feeding on tree sap. The sap was 40-50 million years old. It may have fed on *Pinus succinifera*, an extinct tree.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindarus\_harringtoni
* https://archive.today/20121228223514/http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/PressReleases.php?PRID=48
Kiangyousteus

*Kiangyousteus* is an extinct genus of dunkleosteid arthrodire placoderm that lived in Sichuan, China during the Middle Devonian.

## History

*K. yohii* was described by Liu (1955) from the Givetian-aged Guanwushan Formation of the Chinese Sichuan Province, making it the first Asian arthrodire to be formally described. Prof. S.H. Yoh of Peking University collected the fossils during a field trip to Mount Guanwushan (formerly as "Kuan-Wu-Shan") of Jiangyou (formerly "Kiangyou") in 1953. Therefore, it would be named "Yoh's Kiangyou bone" as a primitive member of Coccosteidae. It was originally thought to have been ancestral to either *Dinichthys* or *Titanichthys* at the time. Obruchev (1964), in his handbook, notes that supposed pineal plate IVPP V801.1 was misidentified, and was actually a parasphenoid. Denison (1978) and Dennis-Bryan (1995) further revised the genus due to this, with Denison assigning it to a basal position in Dinichthyidae based on similarity with *Dunkleosteus*. Then, computerized phylogenetics applied to brachythoracids initially omitted the taxon, with Car and Hlavin (1995) assigning it Pachyosteomorphi incertae sedis. More recent studies found it to be ambiguous until Zhu and Zhu (2013)'s redescription of the taxon revealed it to be a dunkleosteid.

## Description

IVPP V801 is the holotype, consisting of associated plates IVPP V801.8 (supragnathal), IVPP V801.1 (parasphenoid), IVPP V801.4 (median dorsal), IVPP V801.6 (submedian dorsal), IVPP V801.2 (right anterior lateral), IVPP V801.5 (right anterior ventrolateral) and IVPP V801.3 (right posterior dorsolateral). Zhu and Zhu (2010) emend the diagnosis of the genus as having a parasphenoid in articulation to the anterior supragnathal, the median dorsal plate with a dorsal branch of the main lateral line and the anterior supragnathal with an occlusal shelf that is posterior to the lateral cusp. Though it resembles *Dunkleosteus* to a degree, the head shield bears a considerably different layout.

## Classification

Kianyousteus remained enigmatic; first assigned to Coccosteidae upon description, it was found to be similar to Dunkleosteus and placed in a basal position in Dinichthyidae (since at the time, Dunkleosteidae had fallen into taxonomic obscurity). It was later placed in Pachyosteomorphi incertae sedis in 1995 and later as a less-derived position in Dunkleosteidae in 2013. The same study finds:

## References

https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/169/4/798/3797003?login=false
Paranogmius

Credit: Joschua Knüppe.

*Paranogmius* is an extinct genus of tselfatiformes that lived in Africa during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

One specimen is known from Egypt, which was destroyed in a WWII bombing, the same attack that obliterated the *Spinosaurus* holotype. No fossils of *Paranogmius* have been found since.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranogmius
Parras Characodon

Credit: Ruud Wildekamp.

Parras *Characodon* (*Characodon garmani*) is an extinct species of cyprinodontiforme fish that lived in Mexico during the before 1953.

## Extinction

The Parras *Characodon* is regarded extinct by IUCN, likely going extinct due to habitat destruction, water extraction and altering. Since the last sighting, search for live individuals have been attempted, with no results. No trade or conservation of the species has been reported. The validity of the species is doubted, currently valid. The last full-scale search is in 1953; no positive outcome. The IUCN marks Parras *Characodon* as Extinct (EX), due to over 60 years of no sightings. Between 1880 and 1895, six freshwater fishes have been described from Parras Valley, all disappearing soon after. Only one specimen is preserved; the holotype.

## References

* https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4530/3000349
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parras\_characodon
Moschops

Credit: Nix Illustration.

*Moschops* is an extinct genus of herbivorous therapsids that lived during the Middle Permian of Southern Africa.

## History

*Moschops* was discovered by Robert Brrom from the Ecca Group, Karoo Supergroup, Africa. This horizon is dubious, and was referred to as this based on *Pareiasaurus* remains near the type locality. The holotype is AMNH 5550 and 7 topotypes AMNH 5551-5557 are known. The degree of pachyostosis is known to have varied within specimens, which Broom attributes to gender and age variation. In 1910, they were sent to the American Museum of Natural History and were formally described in 1911.

## Description

*Moschops* was very heavy-set, being about 2.7 meters long with small heads, broad orbits and heavy short necks. Like other tapinocephalids, a tiny pineal organ opening is present. The occiput is broad and deep, with the skull being more narrow in the dorsal border. The pterygoid arches and the angular were reinforced by strong muscles, which (with long-crowned, stout teeth), makes paleontologists belive that it was herbivorous and fed upon nutrient-poor and tough plants (such as cycad stems). Due to such poor food, they likely fed for long periods. Their elbows opened more widely, which allowed for a more mammalian posture than other animals at this time. This would have made them able to carry their bodies while feeding as well as producing short bursts of speed. It was proposed that *Moschops* may have been more subaquatic; it has also been proposed that cranial thickening allowed for headbutting competitions among individuals, with a 2017 study using synchrotron scanning of an *M. capensis* finding multiple adaptations in the central nervous system for combat. Titanosuchids and larger therocephalians were probable predators. A strongly pachyostosed skull with a broad intertemporal region and greatly reduced temporal fossa diagnose the genus. Only two species are confirmed to be valid.

## Species

* *M. capensis*
* *M. koupensis*
* *M. oweni*?
* *M. whaitsi*?

## Synonyms

* *Agnosaurus*
* *Avenantia*
* *Delphinognathus*
* *Moschognathus*
* *Moschoides*
* *Pnigalion*
Moanasaurus

*Moanasaurus* is an extinct genus of mosasaur that lived in New Zealand during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

The only *Moanasaurus* remains are from the North Island of New Zealand, a disarticulated skull, vertebrae, paddles and ribs were recovered. *Moanasaurus* was among the largest mosasaurines, with a skull 78 centimeters long.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moanasaurus
* https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/53bb82a0-7a66-4afb-a26d-b611b5f86136/view/f59a5ee9-9c57-4409-9988-5c8958216f80/Street\_Hallie\_P\_201604\_PhD.pdf
Morrolepis

*Morrolepis* is an extinct genus of "palaeoniscoid" ray-finned fish that lived in Asia, Europe and North America during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

The type is *M. schaefferi*, which is known from the Colorado/Utah Morrison Formation and measures 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) long. The other two species were previously assigned the genus *Coccolepis*.
Joermungandr

J. bolti eating a centipede. Credit: Hank Sharpe.

*Joermungandr* is an extinct genus of microsaur reptile that lived in Illinois during the Late Carboniferous.

## Description

*Joermungandr* is known from the Mazon Creek beds, which are Pennsylvanian-aged (309-307 million years old). It is known from a single part and counterpart concretion with a near-complete skeleton, with all dorsal, ventral and flank scales included. The gastralia are thin and reduced. Observed in the scales from electron microscopy tests are ultrastructural ridge and pit morphologies, showing complexities that can be compared with snakes and fossorial reptiles. The latter two are adapted for body-based propulsion and shedding substrate, which is also observed in *Joermungandr*. This taxon reveals an early record for an elongate recumbirostran body plan, where several fossorial features are found, including a recumbent rostrum. Parsimony phylogenetic methods were used with the most recent recumbirostran-based matrix, recovering *Joermungandr* as a recumbirostran, likely having affinities with the sister Molgophidae and Brachystelechidae clades. Integumentary patterns in Recumbirostra, including gastralia and osteoderms reduction/losses and association with an elongated body, finds an increased fossoriality in microsaurs.

## References

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.210319
Mimotricentes

USNM PAL603865.

*Mimotricentes* is an extinct genus of arctocyonid "condylarth" that lived in Alberta, Montana, California, Utah and Wyoming during the Palaeocene.

## Description

USNM 9277, a left mandible with P4-M2s, is the type of *M. angustidens*. It was collected by A.C. Silberling from Silberling Quarry. Other specimens were tentatively identified as this taxon from Locs. 51 and 73. It is slightly smaller than *Tricentes latidens*. The molars are narrower, with the P4 being smaller, more slender and having a stronger paraconid. It is noted the size difference likely isn't important, but the morphology is. 2 M2s from Loc. 51 resemble *M. angustidens*, but have a talonid equal to the trigonid in one specimen, but slightly wider in another. Other *M. angustidens* are USNM 9706, USNM 9095 and Princeton no. 13758. USNM PAL603865 is an M. tedfordi from locality V 94133. It is Tiffanian-aged, represented by a maxilla, teeth and partial right P4-M3s.

## Species

### Reassigned Species

* *M. subtrigonus*
* *M. elassus*
* *M. latidens*
* *M. mirielae*
* *M. ischyrus*

## References

1. ↑ https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=42211
2. ↑ https://books.google.ca/books?id=cj3Psq1hXT4C
3. ↑ https://www.si.edu/object/nmnhpaleobiology\_12920650
Navajodactylus

Credit: Midiaou Diallo.

*Navajodactylus* is an extinct genus of azhdarchid that lived in New Mexico during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Navajodactylus* was a moderately sized pterosaur. It is characterized by several autapomorphies, most of them being the unique first wing phalanx for the extensor tendon. Several specimens of pterosaur fossils were previously assigned to *Navajodactylus*, but were later shown to belong to *Cryodrakon*.

## Classification

*Navajodactylus* is classified as an azhdarchid based on its geological dating. However, *Navajodactylus* may represent a different lineage of pterosaurs.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajodactylus
Mobulavermis

Credit: McCall, Prehistorica CM

Mobulavermis is an extinct genus of kerygmachelid lobopodian from the Combined Metals Member of the Pioche Formation in Nevada; USA.

## Description

Mobulavermis adustus was large and possessed more ventrolateral flap pairs than any other known lobopodian or radiodont. It is The first known lobopodian to be reported from the Cambrian-age Pioche Shale of Nevada.

## Sources

* http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2023/12/mobulavermis.html
* https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/abs/large-pelagic-lobopodian-from-the-cambrian-pioche-shale-of-nevada/11B0704C49A7730AA3E8F46EB2CA1C95
Oceanotitan

Credit: Novataxa.

*Oceanotitan* is an extinct genus of sauropod that lived in Portugal during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

The holotype of *Oceanotitan* consists of a singular scapula, most of the pelvis, one complete foreleg, minus the toes and nine caudals. *Oceanotitan* is a titanosaur that lived in the Lourinha Formation during the Jurassic.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanotitan
Paratomarctus

*Paratomarctus* is an extinct genus of borophagine canid that lived in the United States during the Middle to Late Miocene.

## Description

*Paratomarctus* was approximately the size of a modern coyote. Paratomarctus lacked the adaptations later Borophaginae members had and was a generalized predator.

## Paleoecology

*Paratomarctus* lived with canids including: *Borophagus*, *Epicyon*,*Carpocyon*,*Aelurodon*, and *Canis lepophagus*. Fossil distribution of *Paratomarctus* is most common in western United States.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratomarctus
Moros

Credit: Tom Parker on the Wikimedia Commons.

*Moros* is an extinct genus of basal tyrannosaur that lived in North America during the Cretaceous.

## Etymology

The name, *Moros*, means doom or fate. The specific name, *intrepidus* meaning intrepid. This refers to the larger tyrannosaurs to come later down the line. The name means 'harbinger of doom' or 'harbinger of fate' in full.

## Description

*Moros* is a small-bodies tyrannosaur that is estimated to weigh about 172 lbs. *Moros* was a very basal tyrannosaur, and was covered in light feathers. The bones show *Moros* was around 6 or 11 years old, a subadult reaching maximum size.

## Notable Specimens

* NCSM 33392: The holotype for *Moros* consisted of a hindleg; the thighbone, femur and the feet bones.
* NCSM 33393: A premaxillary tooth.
* NCSM 33276: A premaxillary tooth.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moros\_intrepidus