recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Zhuchengtyrannus

Credit: The Afenogaster/Wikicommons.

*Zhuchengtyrannus* is an extinct genus of Tyrannosaurine Tyrannosaur that lived in China during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

*Zhuchengtyrannus* was named by David Hone et al. (2011) based on holotype ZCDM V0031, a maxilla and dentary (upper and lower jaw bones) from the Xingezhuang Formation (Wangshi Group) near Zhucheng, Shandong Province, Eastern China.  The holotype is housed at the Zhucheng Dinosaur Museum and the name means "great Zucheng tyrant" in Latin. The holotype was discovered in 2010 with the Sinankylosaurus holotype. Isolated teeth and a large amount of other tyrannosaur bones were recovered from the quarry: femora, metatarsals, dorsal vertebrae, and ribs. However, differences in the cranial anatomy show that there were two different tyrannosaur species present, and the postcranial material could not be confidently assigned to either *Zhuchengtyrannus* or another, yet unnamed species. Another dentary, ZCDM V0030, and a maxilla, ZCDM V0032, are known from Zangjiazhuang quarry and could be assignable to either tyrannosaur taxon.

## Description

*Zhuchengtyrannus* is one of the largest known theropods, comparable in size to its close relatives *Tarbosaurus bataar* and *Tyrannosaurus rex.* *Zhuchengtyrannus* is the sister taxon to *Tarbosaurus*. It is distinguished from tyrannosaurines through a horizontal shelf over the lateral surface of the maxillary ascending process base and an anterior margin of the maxillary fenestra having a rounded notch. A ventral margin of the antorbital fenestra situated over the ventral rim of the antorbital fossa is present. Unlike *Tarbosaurus*, it does not have a subcutaneous flange of the posterodorsal portion of the maxillary jugal ramus and a ventrally-convex plate that obscures the bulges produced by the roots of the rear teeth (in the medial view).

## Classification

Isolated teeth from the Zhucheng dinosaur quarries named *Tyrannosaurus zhuchengensis* may belong to either of the tyrannosaur taxa reported from the Xingezhuang Formation. These teeth bear serrations extending to the base of the tooth crown, which was unknown to Tyrannosaurinae prior to description. All teeth from *Z. magnus* are too badly damaged in this aspect to support direct comparison. Loewen et al. (2013) used phylogenetic analysis with their description of *Lythronax* and included ***Zhuchengtyrannus*** as sister to *Tarbosaurus*:

## Paleoecology

*Zhuchengtyrannus* is from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Wangshi Group, dated to 73.5 million years ago. It coexisted with the hadrosaur *Shantungosaurus*, the ceratopsian *Sinoceratops*, an unnamed Tyrannosaurid and ankylosaurs, indeterminate and *Sinankylosaurus*. The area was probably a floodplain, having some of the most concentrated dinosaur beds in the world.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuchengtyrannus
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667111000371?via%3Dihub
3. ↑ *The Tyrannosaur Chronicles* by David Hone
Ugrunaaluk

*Ugrunaaluk* is an extinct genus of Hadrosaur that was lived in Alaska and during the Late Cretaceous.

## Discovery

More than 6000 bones of *Ugrunaaluk* were discovered by Colville River in the Liscomb Bonebed. After being assigned to an anonymous Lambeosaurid and then *Edmontosaurus*, *Edmontosaurus regalis* and *Edmontosaurus annectens*, it was distinguished from previous species and published online by Hirotsugu Mori, Patrick Druckenmiller and Gregory Erickson on the 22nd of September, 2015. Later, however, it was sunk back into *Edmontosaurus* because the remains were undiagnostic and juveniles, which is not ideal for naming new hadrosaur species. If it is reevealuated and proved to be distinct, the genus could be resurrected or it could be recombined as *Edmontosaurus kuukpikensis*.

## Paleoecology

*Ugrunaaluk* lived in the Arctic of Alaska, and would have needed to be adapted to handle the cold climate of the region. To counter this, *Ugrunaaluk* may have migrated up and down North America in large herds when the climate started to get cold.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugrunaaluk
* https://handwiki.org/wiki/Biology:Edmontosaurus\_kuukpikensis
Vulpes

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

## Statistics

### Diet

Omnivorous

*Vulpes* is a genus of small canids that have lived worldwide since the Early Cenozoic.

## Description

A large number of species still exist worldwide. *Vulpes* generally have long, slender legs, a fluffy tail with a lighter shade on them, and a black triangle between their eyes.

## Species

* *V. bengalensis* (Bengal fox)
* *V. cana* (Blanford's fox)
* *V. chama* (Cape fox)
* *V. corsac* (Corsac fox)
* *V. ferrilata* (Tibetan sand fox)
* *V. lagopus* (Arctic fox)
* *V. macrotis* (Kit fox)
* *V. pallida* (Pale fox)
* *V. rueppelli* (Rüppell's fox)
* *V. velox* (Swift fox)
* *V. vulpes* (Red fox, silver fox and cross fox)
* *V. zerda* (Fennec fox)
* †*V. alopecoides*
* †*V. angustidens*
* †*V. beihaiensis*
* †*V. chikushanensis*
* †*V. galaticus*
* †*V. kernensis*
* †*V. mathisoni*
* †*V. praecorsac*
* †*V. praeglacialis*
* †*V. riffautae*
* †*V. stenognathus*
* †*V. rooki*

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulpes
* https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=41248
* https://twitter.com/MorrillHallUNL/status/1476999094958575620/photo/2
Yunyangosaurus

Credit: CisioPurple on DeviantArt.

"Yunyangosaurus" is a naked genus of megalosauroid dinosaur that lived in Chongqing, China during the Middle Jurassic.

## Description

"Yunyangosaurus" was first mentioned in a 2019 SVP abstract book, and was published in 2020. It is known from a disarticulated partial skeleton, consisting of 11 presacral vertebrae, a few cervical and dorsal ribs and chevrons. The animal would have been 4.7 meters (15.4 feet) long. Because it lacks a ZooBank, it is a nomen nudum.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunyangosaurus
Yamaceratops

Credit: José Carlos Cortés.

*Yamaceratops* is an extinct genus of basal ceratopsian that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Yamaceratops* is known from several attributed specimens. *Yamaceratops* falls between *Liaoceratops* and *Archaeoceratops*. The frill was likely not just for show, but rather suggests a different function to ceratopsian frills. An embryo and eggshells found in common *Yamaceratops* territory may belong to *Yamaceratops*. The neural spines on the tails of juveniles were the second longest of all dinosaurs, second only to *Spinosaurus*.

## Notable Specimens

* IGM 100/1315: The holotype specimen, consisting of a partial skull, and possibly other material.
* MPC-D 100/553: An articulate skeleton of a 3 year-old individual. The shoulder was disarticulated due to taphonomic processes like in the Mongolian Fighting Dinosaurs specimen. It was described in 2022.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaceratops
* https://peerj.com/articles/13176/
Pica praepica

Credit: Skye McDavid.

*Pica praepica* is an extinct speices of magpie that lived in Europe during the Pleistocene.

## History

Fossil magpies are common in Pleistocene sites in Europe. However, most of these were simply referred to *Pica sp.*

In 1990, Bulgarian paleontologist Zlatozar N. Boev discovered NMNHS 146, the distal portion of a left tarsometatarsus near the town of Varshets in Northwest Bulgaria. This specimen was designated the holotype of the new species *Pica praepica* by Boev in 2021. Twelve other bones from two individuals were also referred to the species. The material is deposited in the National Museum of Natural History Sofia, in Sofia, Bulgaria. The genus name *Pica* means "magpie" in Latin, and the specific epithet "*praepica*" means "before *Pica"* in reference to this species' existence before the modern Eurasian magpie.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352018464\_An\_Early\_Pleistocene\_magpie\_Pica\_praepica\_sp\_n\_Corvidae\_Leach\_1820\_from\_Bulgaria
Upper Yellow Cat Hypsilophodontid

The Hypsilophodont alongside other Cedar Mountain Fauna.

The Upper Yellow Cat Hypsilophodontid is an unnamed genus of "hypsilophodontid" Dinosaur that lived in Utah during the Early Cretaceous.

## Taxonomy

This taxon may help clarify what exactly is Hypsilophodontidae, because currently the only taxon positively identifed as belonging to that family is *Hypsilophodon* itself. The Poision Strip member of the Cedar Mountain formation also preserves a taxon superficially similar to *Hypsilophodon*, this these taxa may represent a lineage of small bodied Hypsilophodontids from N. America.

## References

* https://youtu.be/Thhb6Jy-Acw?t=3689
* https://youtu.be/Thhb6Jy-Acw?t=3339
Yangchuanosaurus

Credit: SpinoInWonderland on DeviantArt.

*Yangchuanosaurus* is a metriacanthosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in China during the Late Jurassic.

## Notable Specimens

* "EMB6AZ": A proposed "fossil embryo" "published" by C.E. Goo in the Petrified Embryology series, where it was informally named "Y. longicollis". However, many dismiss this find as a subject of pareidolia rather than fossil dinosaur remains.

## Classification

A cladogram showing the Phylogenetic placement of *Y. zigongensis*, *Y. shangyouensis*, and an unnamed species represented by CV 00214 (modified from Carrano et. al (2012)).

## Synonyms

* *Y. magnus* (=*Y. shangyouensis*)
* *Szechuanosaurus "yandonensis"* (=*Y. shangyouensis* = *Y.* sp nov.)
* *"Szechuanoraptor"* (=*Y. shangyouensis* = *Y.* sp nov.)
* *Szechuanosaurus zigongensis* (=*Y. zigongensis*)
* *Y. shangyuensis* (lapsus)

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yangchuanosaurus
* https://petrifiedembryology.wordpress.com/petrified-embryology-volume-1-the-frozen-baby-dinosaurs-yangchuanosaurus-longicollis/
* https://www.theropoddatabase.com/Neotheropoda.htm
* https://archive.org/details/g.s.paul2016theprincetonfieldguidetodinosaurs/page/n87/mode/2up

1. ↑ https://archive.org/details/g.s.paul2016theprincetonfieldguidetodinosaurs/page/n87/mode/2up
Tarantula Mesa Centrosaur

Credit: Andrey Atuchin.

The Tarantula Mesa Centrosaur, also known as New Centrosaur Taxon A, is an unnamed genus of Centrosaurine Ceratopsid that lived in Utah during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

This taxon is reported from the Beds of the Tarantula Mesa, which is a formation lateral to the Kaiparowits Formation, but is slightly older. The specimen appears to be very similar to the younger *Nasutoceratops*. There are a few autapomorphies though that distinguishes it from the latter taxon. These are that the specimen has more epiparietals than *Nasutoceratops*, and that it's horns are longer, in fact being longer than any known Centrosaur.
Vulcanops

Credit: Joschua Knüppe.

*Vulcanops* is an extinct genus of bat that lived in New Zealand during the Miocene.

## Description

*Vulcanops* is a large microchiropteran that is hypothesized to be a burrower capable of digging cavernous tunnels. It probably ate arthropods with additional plants. It was about 3x the size of most modern bats, making it the largest of its family. It was affected by the isolate conditions of New Zealand, which allowed it to adapt to a terrestrial or subterranean lifestyle.

## References

* https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-18403-w
* http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/vulcanops-jennyworthyae-giant-burrowing-bat-05620.html
* https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/meet-vulcanops-giant-burrowing-bat-and-ghost-of-gondwana
* https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-fossils-of-a-giant-extinct-burrowing-bat-in-new-zealand/
* https://www.canterburymuseum.com/assets/DownloadFiles/PaleoArtColouringCompetition-GiantBurrowingBat3.pdf
* https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Vulcanops-jennyworthyae-gen-et-sp-nov-Bannockburn-Formation-St-Bathans-Central\_fig1\_322367465 [Jaw Material]
Wanhsien tiger

## Pathera tigris acutidens

Credit: Roman Uchytel.

The Wanhsien tiger (Pathera tigris acutidens) is an extinct subspecies of tiger that lived in China from the Late Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene.

## Description

The Wanhsien tiger was described from remains in Wanhsien, Sichuan Province, China, as *Felis acutidens*. When reexamined in 1947 by Dirk Albert Hooijer and Walter W. Granger as *P. t. acutidens*. The only specimens are housed in the America Museum of Natural History, including; two skulls, two metacarpals, five metatarsals, two calcanea, alongside a tibia, humerus an astralagus and several jaw fragments. The tibia measures 29.7 centimeters (11.7 inches) long, 8.1 centimeters (3.2 inches) in diameter, with a humerus 30.6 centimeters (12.0 inches) long, but smaller in length, diameter and width than in Siberian tigers.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panthera\_tigris\_acutidens
Trichasaurus

*Trichasaurus* is an extinct genus of caseid synapsid that lived in Texas during the Late Permian.

## Description

*Trichasaurus* is known from the Craddock Bonened of Brush Creek, 38, Arroyo Formation.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/mhaaramo/metazoa/deuterostoma/chordata/synapsida/synapsida\_index.html
2. ↑ https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon\_no=38932
UMNH VP 19209

UMNH VP 19209 is an unnamed genus of salamanders that lived in Utah or Arizona during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

It is known from trunk vertebrae, similar to Sirenidae, lacking their synapomorphies. This makes the relationship of the fossils harder to determine. It was recovered from Wahweap Locality 77.

## References

https://www.google.ca/books/edition/At\_the\_Top\_of\_the\_Grand\_Staircase/wVySAAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=isbn:9780253008961&printsec=frontcover
Wapiti Hadrosaurid

The Wapiti Hadrosaurid is an unnamed genus of Hadrosaurid that lived in British Colombia during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

The taxon is known from a partial skeleton missing the skull, limbs, and vertebral column. The specific horizon of the Wapiti formation dates this taxon to approximately 73 mya. Not much is known about the taxon besides it being possibly a Lambeosaurine, but that affiliation is tentative. The taxon is currently being prepared and described by McCrea.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wapiti\_Formation
* Reid, Ian J. (2016). "A review of dinosaurian body fossils from British Columbia, Canada". *PeerJ Preprints*. doi:10.7287/peerj.preprints.1369v3
Wakinosaurus

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

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

*Wakinosaurus* is an extinct genus of theropod that lived in Japan during the Early Cretaceous.

## Description

*Wakinosaurus* is known from a single damaged tooth, which was first classified as a megalosaur, and then later an indeterminate neotheropod. *Wakinosaurus*' teeth are similar to *Prodeinodon*.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakinosaurus
Zemistephanus

*Zemistephanus* is an extinct genus of ammonite that lived in North America and Australia durin the Middle Jurassic.

## Description

This species is only known from many fossilized shells. The body chambers of *Zemistephanus* are smaller than other ammonite species. Ammonites that share similar features are *Pseudotoites* and *Emileia*.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zemistephanus
ZPAL V.39/45

ZPAL V.39/45 is an unnamed genus of possible Neotheropod that lived in Poland during the Late Triassic.

## Description

the taxon is known from a partial tibia. The specimen is different from other Neotheropods known by a blunt posterolateral process, and a more medially placed posteromedial ridge, both in distal view, with a flat posterior and convex medial edges. The anterior diagonal tuberosity is poorly developed and a nearly vertical and shallow medial buttress on the astragalar ascending process. It is most similar to *Berberosaurus* from the early Jurassic Azilal formation of Morocco. But it differs from Berberosaurus by the almost horizontal buttress, A more medially placed anterior diagonal tuberosity, and an anteriorly angled distal edge on the posterolateral process. A more laterodistally projected lateral malleolus is also a distinguishing character. If this taxon does indeed represent a Theropod it may be important as it could be the first known Ceratosaurian.

## Paleoecology

The Zbąszynek Beds are a fluvial deposit. it preserves Hybodontid sharks, cf. *Lissodus* sp., Actinopterygii indet, and *Ceratodus*. The turtle cf. *Proterochersis* sp., Aetosaur remains, Silesauridae indet, and indeterminate Herrerasaurid remains are also known from the formation.

## References

* https://www.theropoddatabase.com/Ceratosauria.htm#Elaphrosaurinae
* https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pala.12107
Sail-backed Iguanodont

Sail-backed Iguanodont at the top.

The Sail-backed Iguanodont is an unnamed genus of Styracosternan Ornithopod that lived in Utah during the Early Cretaceous.

## Description.

This taxon is housed at the Brigham Young University (BYU), and is currently being described by Rod Scheetz. The bones on display include: a partially reconstructed dentary, and 5 vertebrae. Jim Kirkland believes 3 Iguanodont taxa co-occur at around 135 Ma, which would be *Hippodraco,* this taxon, and the Cedar Mountain Iguanodont A. A partial tail, with 6 vertebra is known, but whether it is this taxon or the Cedar Mountain Iguanodont A is not currently known.

## References

* https://twitter.com/Paleojim/status/1512069630826737666
YPM 1910

YPM 1910 is an unnamed species (probably genus) of Camarasaurid Sauropod that lived in The United States during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

YPM 1910 was refereed to *"Morosaurus" lentus*. It differs from other Camarasaurids by "flat ventral faces of caudals, metatarsal >30% tibia length, highest point of iliac blade lies above pubis peduncle, posterior dorsal diapophysis straight above parapophysis, mid dorsal transverse process with angled ends, posterior dorsal neural spines without triangular lateral spur, scapula relatively short compared to minimum width, posterior cervical spines wider than centrum, and a mid-cervical pedicel higher than centrum." *Camarasaurus* has been a taxon long overlooked in Morrison Sauropod studies, so the taxon is overlumped, and according to Tschopp et. al. paraphyletic with the valid *Cathetosaurus/Camarasaurus lewisi. Camarasaurus* actually represents 6-7 known genera.

## Phylogeny

This cladogram was recovered by Tschopp et. al. (2014)
Tugriken Shireh alvarezsaur

IGM 100/99; various vertebrae and ilia, forelimb and fibula in lower right, from the American Museum of Natural History. Credit: Theropod Database.

## Statistics

### Diet

Ominvorous

The Tugriken Shireh alvarezsaurid, IGM 100/99 and MPD 100/120, is an unnamed genus of parvicursorine alvarezsaurid hat lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

IGM 100/99 consists of a fragmentary braincase, including mandibles, approximately 7 cervical, 9 dorsal, and 21 caudal vertebrae, a sacrum, partial dorsal ribs, a scapula, a partial Illium, femora, both tibiae, and a fibula. phalanx I-1, phalanx II-1, and 2, phalanx III-1, 2, and 3, phalanx IV-1, 2, 3, and 4, manual ungual I, II, and III, pedal ungulal I and II, ungual IV, and metatarsals I, II, III, and IV are also recorded. According to Longrich and Currie (2009) The morphology of IGM 100/99 and MPD 100/120 differ from *Shuuvia* by a possessing a ventrally keeled first sacral centrum and having metatarsal IV measure longer than metatarsal II. It is known from the Tugriken Shireh locality of the Djadokhta formation of Mongolia.

MPD 100/120 consists of a mostly complete semi-articulated post-cranial skeleton.

## Classification

According to Hartman et al. (2019) the Tugriken Shireh taxon it is recovered as a basal member within the same grouping as *Mononykus* and *Shuuvia*, with *Parvicursor* lying just outside the clade. One analysis finds:

## References

* https://www.theropoddatabase.com/Ornithomimosauria.htm#Mononykusolecranus
* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270218031\_A\_New\_Specimen\_of\_Shuvuuia\_Deserti\_Chiappe\_et\_al\_1998\_from\_the\_Mongolian\_Late\_Cretaceous\_with\_a\_Discussion\_of\_the\_Relationship\_of\_Alvarezsaurids\_to\_Other\_Theropod\_Dinosaurs
* http://theropoddatabase.blogspot.com/2019/08/alvarezsaurs-in-lori-matrix.html
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038769/
Ulaan Khushuu Ornithomimosaur

The Ulaan Khushuu Ornithomimosaur is an unnamed genus of Ornithomimosaur that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

The material is probably a part of the IGM collection and include a skull, cervical and dorsal vertebrae, dorsal ribs, gastralia, the sacrum and the pectoral girdle, forelimbs, hindlimbs and a pelvis. Gastroliths and fish vertebrae were found associated with the specimen. It is unique because of the "laterally displaced coracoid glenoid with *Gallimimus* and *Anserimimus*, and anteriorly extended pubic boot and large acute angle between dorsal edge of pubic boot and shaft with *Dromiceiomimus* and *Struthiomimus*, but to be unlike the latter two in the lack of a ventrally expanded pubic boot."

## References

https://theropoddatabase.com/Ornithomimosauria.htm
Ul'yanovsk ichthyosaurid

The Ul'yanovsk ichthyosaurid is an unnamed genus of ichthyosaurid? that lived in Russia during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

*I. steleodon* is a dubious species named from fragmentary remains from an unnamed locality from the Ul'yanovsk region in Russia. It lived with and was two times the size of *Sveltonectes* and more robust. The species was named by N.N. Bogolubow (1909) from a rostral tip, a mandible and two dorsal vertebrae alongside *Cryptoclidus simbirskensis*. It was discovered by prof. A.P. Pavlow at the very base of the black simbirsk clay.

## References

* Bogolubow, N. N. 1909. Sur quelques restes de deux reptiles (*Cryptoclidus simbirskensis* n. sp. et *Ichthyosaurus steleodon* n. sp.) trouves par Mr. le Profess. P. Pavlow sur les bords de la Volga ´ dans les couches mesozo¨ıques de Simbirsk. Annuaire geologique et ´ mineralogique de Russie 11:42–64.
* https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/92828
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sveltonectes
Teihivenator

Teihivenator is a naked genus of tyrannosauroid theropod that lived in New Jersey during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

Teihivenator, once published, was immediately controversial. First, Mortimer (2017) found most of the text was copied directly from the Theropod Database. Second, Brownstein (2017) found it was chimeric. It was clear Yun had not examined the material and relied on uncredited information. However, the largest issue, was Yun publishing in Journal of Zoological and Bioscience research (JZBR), a fake, predatory journal that:

1. Scams authors to pay for little-to-no peer review.
2. Has a goal to profit from all submissions.
3. Allows any and all 'publications' that are paid for.

This journal is full of inconsistencies and strange occurrences. For example, the journal publishes an abnormally extensive list of professions. Secondly, the editorial team and mailing address is contradictory. They published only 14 issues between 2014 and 2017. Additionally, the mailing address is 12012, 102C, 162 Avenue NW Edmonton T5X 4W9 Alberta, Canada, which is actually an apartment complex, which was registered as the headquarters of JZBR. Since this journal seems to have never been legitimate, the ICZN has declared it violates Article 8.1, invalidated the name Teihivenator because a ZooBank registration was added after publication and shut down the site.

## Description

"Teihivenator" was named "*Laelaps*" (=*Dryptosaurus*) *macropus* by Cope. Chang-gyu Yun 'named' it based on AMNH FARB 2550 in 2017. A preprint by Chase Brown (2017) found the remains are a mix of tyrannosauroid and ornithomimid elements with no defining traits, leaving it a nomen dubium and a chimera. Brownstein (2018) placed the AMNH FARB 2550 was distinct from *Dryptosaurus*, but could not hold a new taxon. This is specimen is noted to not be a definite dryptosaurid, since it is ~15 million years younger than the Merchantville specimen.

## References

1. ↑ http://dinosaurmailinglist.cmnh.org/2020Jan/msg00133.html
2. ↑ https://incertaesedisblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/predatory-publishing-comes-to-paleontology/
3. ↑ https://www.journalzbr.com/index.php/jzbr/article/view/71/0
4. ↑ https://peerj.com/preprints/3105v1/
5. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667117303993?via%3Dihub
6. ↑ https://twitter.com/ChaseBrownstein/status/1449850250479423490
Timorebestia

Timorebestia, is a species and genus of carnivorous, predatory aquatic; invertrabrate worms from greenland; lived at early cambrian period.

## Explaination

Timorebestia, meaning 'terror beasts' in Latin. Adorned with fins down the sides of their body, a distinct head with long antennae, massive jaw structures inside their mouth, and growing to more than 30cm in length, these were some of the largest swimming animals in the Early Cambrian times. Fossils of this new group of animal predators have been located in the Early Cambrian Sirius Passet fossil locality in North Greenland.

## Sources

* https://www.popsci.com/environment/terror-beasts-worms-fossils/
* https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adi6678
Thalattosuchian parasite

Circular scars on Dakosaurus sp. DMA-JP-2009/001.

The Thalattosuchian parasite is an extinct species, genus or lineage of parasitic organisms that lived theoretically worldwide during the Mesozoic.

## Description

These specimens are known from inferred scars described from metriorhynchid skin in 2021. They are shallow and preclude any epizoic parasites with deep-anchoring. Some cetaceans have evolved skin shedding to rid of parasites, whereas some barnacles have evolved deep-anchoring to defend their parasitism. In DMA-JP-2009/001, the smaller scars appear fresher because of their deeper relief and sharp, circular outline. IN LF 3474, smaller scars are less pronounced with the largest curl structures being deeper and incrusted stronger, probably due to aging parasites. Individuals with larger skulls suggest they took less care of their skin. They likely evolved alongside marine reptiles, being the first documentation of this.

## References

https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2021/3399-metriorhynchid-skin
Yantarogekko

*Yantarogekko* is an extinct genus of gecko that lived in the Eocene in Europe.

## Description

*Yantarogekko* is known from a block of amber from the Baltic region, which contains a well-preserved front half of the lizard. The specimen sports the adhesive toepads and the projectile tongue present in modern geckos.

## References

* https://www.newscientist.com/article/2079606-dinosaur-era-geckos-and-chameleons-perfectly-preserved-in-amber/
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yantarogekko
Xenoceratops

Credit: Cisiopurple on DeviantArt.

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

## History

Wann Langston Jr. (1958) unearthed crania fragment from the Foremost Formation, which is very poorly understood in terms of dinosaur fauna aside from teeth, some hadrosaurs and *Colepiocephale*. The remains were stored in cabinets at the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa. David C. Evans and Michael J. Ryan (~2003) became curious of the material, and thorough investigation took place in 2009. Ryan, Evans and Kieran M. Shepherd found it a new genus and species, naming it in 2012. At this time *Xenoceratops* was the oldest Ceratopsidae in Canada, and also the first from the Foremost Formation. It derives from the Greek xenos, "foreign" or "alien" and ceratops, "horned face". It was named "alien horned face" because there was a lack of Foremost ceratopsians. The epithet is after Foremost, Alberta.

## Description

*Xenoceratops* is known from a single parietal bone, however several other frill bones such as other parietals, squamosals and a partial nasal bone have been affiliated with *Xenoceratops*. These bones belonged to at least three individuals, and possibly another, from a partial skull housed at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. *Xenoceratops* is mainly distinguished from other centrosaurs based on its frill. Two bony knobs sit near the midline, and point towards it. Next to the knobs, is a, slightly flattened, that point laterally towards the rear. The anterior corners sport large triangular osteoderms. Unlike typical centrosaurs, the midline bar on the frill sports no ornamentation. *Xenoceratops* likely had a bony knob on its snout and similar brow horns to basal centrosaurines. The Royal Tyrrell specimen is partial, but shows evidence of large brow horns, like *Albertaceratops* and *Diabloceratops*. The nasal bone is long and low nasal horn, like that of *Medusaceratops*.

## Classification

Chiba et al. (2017)'s phylogenetic analysis:

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoceratops
Thanos

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

## History

In 2014, scientific literature reported that Sérgio Luis Simonatto and a team lead by Antonio Celso de Arruda Campos found a theropod axis near São José do Rio Preto. Several years later, Fabiano Vidoi Iori excavated the posterior of the same vertebra. In 2018, Rafael Delcourt and Fabiano Vidoi Iori published *T. simonattoi* online, with the print version in 2020. Since it was not formally published until 2020, it was regarded a nomen nudum for a long time. *Thanos* is named after the Marvel Comics supervillain of the same name, who derives from the Greek θάνατος, (thanatos), meaning "death". The fossils were reported on by Sérgio Luis Simonatto, hence the species epithet "*simonattoi*".

## Description

Despite the fragmentary nature of *Thanos*' bones, several autapomorphies have been identified; a well-developed keel, which becomes wide and deep on the ventral surface, posteriorly, two small lateral foramina separated by a somewhat wide wall sitting on the lateral surface of the centrum and well-developed prezygapophyseal spinodiapophyseal fossae. Considering these features, Thanos was a derived abelisaur. MPMA 08–0016/95 is an almost complete axis fused with an axial intercentrum lacking processes at the front, rear and sides. It is known from the São José do Rio Preto Formation, Bauru Group, now held at the Museu de Paleontologia de Monte Alto.

## Classification

*Thanos* has two synapomorphies with Brachyrostra. It has a front articular facet of the axis, which is more than 2x as high as the rear articular facet. The rear facet is inclined at the front, with an angle less than 75°. Delcourt and Iori (2020) find a polytomy with brachyrostrans:

## Paleoecology

*Thanos* shared its environment with a large megaraptoran, known from vertebrae. This would imply that *Thanos* was among the apex predators of its paleoenvironment.

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanos\_simonattoi
Yantaromyrmex

*Yantaromyrmex* is an extinct genus of ant that lived in Europe during the Middle Eocene to the Early Oligocene.

## Description

*Yantaromyrmex* workers have trapezoidal-shaped head that narrows at the front, widens and narrows at the back again. *Yantaromyrmex* have toothed mandibles, and bulbous thorax.

## Species

* *Y. constrictus*
* *Y. geinitzi*
* *Y. intermedius*
* *Y. mayrianum*
* *Y. samlandicus*

## Synonyms

* *Hypoclinea geinitzi* (=*Y. geinitzi*)
* *Hypoclinea constrictus* (=*Y. constrictus*)
* *Iridomyrmex samlandica* (=*Y. samlandicus*)
* *Iridomyrmex geinitzi* (=*Y. geinitzi*)
* *Iridomyrmex constrictus* (=*Y. constrictus*)
* *Bothriomyrmex geinitzi* (=*Y. geinitzi*)
* *Bothriomyrmex constrictus* (=*Y. constrictus*)

## References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yantaromyrmex
Therizinosaurus

Credit: Mario Lanzas.

*Therizinosaurus* is an extinct genus of herbivorous theropod dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous period in Mongolia.

## Discovery

Dale and Donald Russell theorized *Therizinosaurus*’ appearance by matching its incomplete bones with fossils of other therizinosaurs. The team based the head size from *Erlikosaurus*, the mandible length on *Segnosaurus*. Its long neck, back, and wide hips are from *Nanshiungosaurus*.

## Diet

What *Therizinosaurus*' diet was is a matter of debate. *Therizinosaurus* likely ate plants, using its long claws like scythes to pull, and cut them down. Some paleontologists believe that *Therizinosaurus* was omnivorous.

## Reference

Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life, p. 127
Tratayenia

Credit: Julius Csotonyi.

*Tratayenia* is an extinct genus of megaraptoran theropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Tratayenia* has large claws and spear-like teeth. *Tratayenia* resembles many other maniraptoran dinosaurs.

## Paleoecology

*Tratayenia* is the youngest megaraptoran dinosaur living and lived in a diverse ecosystem. *Dinilysia*, *Patagopteryx*, *Viavenator* and *Traukutitan* lived with *Tratayenia*. *Tratayenia* used large claws on its hands and was a predatory dinosaur in its environment.
Yaksha

*Yaksha* is an extinct genus of albanerpetonid amphibian that lived in Europe during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Yaksha* is known from two specimens, one and adult and the other a juvenile. Upon discovery, *Yaksha* was mistaken for a genus of basal chameleon, in 2016. *Yaksha* possessed an elongated hyoid bone, which supoorted a long tongue that was able to shoot out of the animals mouth and catch insects. Though *Yaksha* is not related to chameleons at all, the trait was convergently evolved between the two unrelated groups. After the specimens were announced in 2016, the specimens were reevaluated in 2020. *Yaksha* is very similar in shape to a salamander. After CT scanning the specimens, the skeleton was made into a 3D model for study. The top of the skull has a rugose texture, which likely supported reptile-like scales. The lower jaw is thin, and connects to a flat skull with large eye orbits. The skulls morphology is very similar in shape to a chameleons. *Yaksha* lacks the larval stage other amphibians have. Because *Yaksha* had the muscular elongated tongue chameleons have, it was likely an ambush predator.

## Classification

this phylogeny was recovered by Daza et al (2020):

## References

* https://www.inverse.com/science/ancient-mistaken-identity/amp
* https://phys.org/news/2020-11-tiny-amphibian-outlived-dinosaurs-earliest.html
Unnamed Antarctic Sauropodomorph

Credit: Lynnea Jackson @LynneaSimone on Twitter.

The Unnamed Antarctic Sauropodomorph is an unnamed genus of basal Sauropodomorph Dinosaur that lived in Antarctica during the Mesozoic.

## Description

The specimen is known from at least a well preserved front portion of the skull, including teeth, perserved in situ. Paleontologist Lynnea Jackson reported that she would be talking on this specimen during SVP 2022. Based on provience the specimen possibly came from the Hanson formation, however that is unconfirmed.

## References

https://twitter.com/LynneaSimone/status/1550642591191941121
Xenosmilus

Credit: Roman Uchytel.

*Xenosmilus* is an extinct genus of saber-toothed cat that lived in Florida during the Early/Middle Pleistocene.

## Description

Two semi-intact specimens were found by amateur fossil collectors in 1883 (some citing 1881) in Alachua County, Florida. These date to the Irvingtonian. Because hey were found side-by-side, some think *Xenosmilus* were social. They were found near peccaries, which it may have preyed upon due to it's build. *Xenosmilus* likely used the attack/retreat hunting strategies, inflicting deep wounds with it's large canines. Because of this, some call *Xenosmilus* the "cookie-cutter cat". *Xenosmilus* was extremely muscular, similar in size to other machairodonts, only *Smilodon populator* being noticeably larger.

Before *Xenosmilus*, saber-teeth fell into two Categories: Dirk-toothed cats with long canines and stout legs, and scimitar-toothed cats with barely elongate canines and long legs. However, *Xenosmilus* had broad long canines and long muscular legs. Unlike most, the teeth of *Xenosmilus* were serrated rather than canine or incisor-like. The way in which the top teeth are aligned allows *Xenosmilus* to concentrate force on two teeth at a time.
Terminocavus

Navajoceratops (left) and Terminocavus (right). Credit: Ville Sinkkonen and Denver Fowler.

## Statistics

### Diet

Herbivorous

*Terminocavus* is an extinct genus of transitional chasmosaurian dinosaur that lived in New Mexico during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

*Terminocavus* has a deep embayment on the peak of its frill. *Terminocavus* is known from a single disarticulated fill. The old theory of *Pentaceratops* and *Anchiceratops* being related due to the embayment on their frills has been revived based on *Navajoceratops* and *Terminocavus*.

*Terminocavus* has the body type of a standard ceratopsian, with sturdy legs, a plump body and a short tail. *Terminocavus* has sideways facing brow horns and a backwards facing nasal horn.

## Classification

*Terminocavus* and *Navajoceratops* represent a evolutionary transition between an NMMNH P-33906 and *Anchiceratops*. At some point, *Navajoceratops* evolved into *Terminocavus*, and evolved in isolation due to a flood that had just occurred.

## Notable Specimens

* NMMNH P-27468: A single frill, making up the *Terminocavus* genus.

## Paleoecology

*Terminocavus* lived in New Mexico during the Late Cretaceous. At some point, the vast interior seaway flooded the lowlands, separating *Navajoceratops* and *Terminocavus*. The two species evolved in isolation into the most current chasmosaur lineages.

## References

* http://dickinsonmuseumcenter.com/badlands\_research-2020newceratopsids/
* https://peerj.com/articles/9251/
Vectiraptor

Credit: Nick Longrich.

*Vectiraptor* is an extinct genus of dromaeosaurid that lived in the Isle of Wight during the Early Cretaceous.

## History

It was initially discovered and prepared by amateur MIck Green in 2004 from the Wessex Formation, below the Compton Bay cliffs. The holotype is IWCMS. 2021.31.1-3 (two dorsals). with sacrum IWCMS 2021.31.2 discovered by Nick Chase and referred. These finds were several meters apart, representing an adult that was 20-30 years old based on the growth lines at the bone cortex. They were collected and donated to the Isle of Wight County Museum Service. Longrich et al. (2021) named it, with the generic epithet meaning "the Isle of Wight thief" and the specific epithet after Mick Green. Large teeth from Wight, IWCMS.2002.1, IWCMS.2002.3, IWCMS.2002.4 and BMNH R 16510, were considered by the describers to belong to this taxon but did not refer them. These teeth are sometimes referred to as velociraptorine, contrary to formal opinion.

## Description

*Vectiraptor* is known from dorsal vertebrae with a partial sacrum, which bear features (short and massive vertebrae, tall neural spines and long-stalked ribs) typical of Dromaeosauridae. The dorsals are short and have pleurocoels, camellate pneumatization, parapophyses that are stalked and elongate neural canals. The neural spine is tall and bears scars that supported largeligaments in life. The sacral centra do not have pleurocoels, but instead have large neural canals and foramina that suggest pneumatization. These characters suggest it was a large, derived eudromaeosaur that likely resembled Early Cretaceous North American taxa of the latter. This would suggest a faunal interchange between Europe and North America. A usually deep triangular depression under the side process is subdivided by a ridge and the neural spines are robust with rough depressions that attached ligaments, which are identified as autapomorphies. Pneumatized vertebrae supported the respiratory system, with the diapophysal fossa invading the neural arch, expanded neural canals that embay the top of the centrum, sacrals lacking pleurocoels with a spongy texture and a neural canal that was very wide and may have contained an air chamber that was accessed by the spaces between the partially-fused neural arches are other features identified.

## Classification

Large size, short dorsals, air sac openings in the posterior dorsals and tall-and-narrow-from-the-side neural spines with ligament scars are indicative of relation to Eudromaeosauria. This shows a North American-European faunal interchange.

## Paleoecology

*Vectiraptor* was a relatively smaller than contemporaneous theropods such as *Neovenator*, *Baryonyx*, *Ceratosuchops*, *Calamospondylus* and *Eotyrannus*.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/120070-new-dromaeosaurid-from-the-uk-isle-of-wight/&tab=comments#comment-1316970
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/DanPalaeon1/status/1473379760533291008
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1096-3642.2009.00591.x
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667121003712
WDC-FS001A

WDC-FS001A is an unnamed genus of Diplodocid that lived in Wyoming during the late Jurassic.

## Description

This specimen was discovered in FS Quarry, near Thermopolis, Wyoming. This specimen is known from a manus, a hindlimb, and axial material discovered in two different parts off the quarry. But the lack of overlap, the similar size and morphology, and the same ontogenetic stage indicated that the skeleton probably belonged to the same animal.

## Classification

This phylogeny was recovered by Tschopp et al. (2015):

## References

* Tschopp E, Mateus O, Benson RBJ. 2015. A specimen-level phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Diplodocidae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) PeerJ 3:e857 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.857
* Bedell, M. W. J., et al. "First articulated manus of Diplodocus carnegii. Thunder-lizards: the Sauropodomorph dinosaurs." (2005): 302-320.
Titanovenator

Before formal naming or identification, this organism was known as the following on this wiki:
**Kenyan giant** and **Lapurr Sandstone Abelisaur**

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

The Kenyan giant, known as the nickname "Titanovenator" or the Lapurr Sandstone Abelisaur, is a naked genus of abelisaurid dinosaur that lived in Kenya during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

The specimen to which "Titanovenator" belonged was first described by Sertich et al. (2013) based on an abstract of the 73rd annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. However, the name was actually created by Taylor McCoy, the paleontology volunteer at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and the other members from the *Jurassic World* forum back in 2013~2014.

## Description

The specimen consists of multiple cranial, axial column and appendicular skeletal isolated specimens. These were all referred to the same taxon via a tall, rugose premaxilla, an anteroventrally-inclined posterior border of the postorbital, and a prominent dorsal projection of the parietals and supraoccipital. An associated partial skull, strongly coossified, has a thick and weakly-sculptured skull roof with n prominent ornamentation. The astragalocalcaneum is fully coossified, having a prominent transverse sulcus at the anteroventral surface. The ascending process is low, subrectangular and separated from the anterior surface of the astragalus by fossa. Material comparison suggests this individual may have been 11-12 meters long, which is seen in many Gondwanan faunas, which reflects the global Late Cretaceous allosauroid-spinosaurid turnover. The skull, with no extensive ornamentation, appears distinct.

## Paleoecology

"Titanovenator" is known from the Lapurr Mountains of northwest Turkana, Kenya, which apparently make the first definitive non-marine fauna of the critical terminal Cretaceous interval. Also called the "Turkana Grits", "Titanovenator" diversifies known fauna from the Maastrichtian, found alongside crocodylomorphs (dyrosaurids), pterosaurs, mosasaurs, turtles and dinosaurs (2 iguanodonts, 3 macronarians and 2 theropods).

## References

* https://dinoanimals.com/dinosaurdatabase/titanovenator-kenyaensis/
* Sertich, Seiffert and Manthi, (2013). A giant abelisaurid theropod from the Latest Cretaceous of Northern Turkana, Kenya. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193314/http://vertpaleo.org/PDFS/0d/0d20d609-f7e6-4bb3-a0c4-765fcffde49b.pdf
* https://twitter.com/TM9380/status/1355526900396007426
* https://twitter.com/TM9380/status/1503074374609481734
* https://www.dinosaurhome.com/giant-abelisaurs-14458.html
* https://twitter.com/TM9380/status/1459353743821053956
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapurr\_Sandstone
* https://vertpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SVP-2013-merged-book-10-15-2013.pdf (211)
* https://www.theropoddatabase.com/Ceratosauria.htm
Wangshi Tyrannosaurid

The Wangshi Tyrannosaurid is an unnamed genus of Tyrannosaurid dinosaur that lived in China during the Late Cretaceous.

## History

Two specimens of the Wangshi Tyrannosaurid have been found: ZCDM V0030, a dentary, and ZCDM V0032, a maxilla. Both of these are from the Xingezhuang Formation, member of the Wangshi group, specifically the Zangjiazhuang quarry. They are housed in the Zhucheng Dinosaur museum. In their 2011 description of *Zhuchengtyrannus*, David Hone and coauthors stated that ZCDM V0030 and ZCDM V0032 were distinct from all other Tyrannosaurids, representing a new genus which "will be described in a later paper." Postcranial material (femora, metatarsals, dorsal vertebrae, ribs) and isolated teeth were found at the same quarry, but it is unknown whether they belong to this species or Zhuchengtyrannus. Sullivan et al. (2012) state that despite the differences between this taxon and *Tarbosaurus* that it "could be referable to *T. bataar* despite minor differences from previously described maxillae of that taxon."

## Paleoecology

The Wangshi group where this animal lived has been dated to the Campanian Stage of the Late Cretaceous, 73.5 million years ago. The Wangshi Tyrannosaurid lived alongside the hadrosaur *Shantungosaurus*, the ceratopsian *Sinoceratops*, the tyrannosaurine *Zhuchengtyrannus*, and an indeterminate ankylosaur.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667111000371?via%3Dihub
2. ↑ *The Tyrannosaur Chronicles* by David Hone
3. ↑ https://theropoddatabase.com/Tyrannosauroidea.html#Tyrannosauridae
Wyomingopteryx

A description of Morrison Formation artwork featuring "Wyomingopteryx". However, it is unavailable online.

## Statistics

### Diet

Carnivorous

"Wyomingopteryx" is a naked genus of pterosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic.

## Description

Wyomingopteryx is only mentioned by Robbert Bakker in a 1994 science recap. It appears in a captioned painting by Pat Redman, which allegedly features *Zofiabataar* and other Morrison Formation fauna. It is possibly Bakker intended to use ths name for TATE 5999, a specimen similar to *Istiodactylus*. It is described as a "pterodactyl" (pterodactyloid?) from the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian-aged Upper Morrison.

## References

* https://books.google.ca/books?redir\_esc=y&id=6wgoPQPXi5kC&
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pteranodontia
* Bakker, R.T. (1998). "Dinosaur mid-life crisis: the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition in Wyoming and Colorado". In Lucas, Spencer G.; Kirkland, James I.; Estep, J.W. Lower and Middle Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems 14. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. pp. 67–77.
* https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4964248
Vitakrisaurus

"Vitakrisaurus "is a possibly dubious and naked genus of archosaur that lived in Pakistan during the Late Cretaceous.

## Description

"Vitakrisaurus" is known from a right manus, proximal ulna, partial vertebrae, humerus cross-sections, an anterior caudal, and two mid-caudal vertebrae. Referred specimens include an anterior dentary, dentary ramus, a proximal femur, and an indeterminate leg bone.

## Taxonomy

In 2021, Malkani erected the family Vitakrisauridae, consisting of *Rahiolisaurus*, *Rajasaurus*, "Vitakrisaurus", and "Vitakridrinda". However, Mickey Mortimer found that the fossils had no diagnostic features beyond Archosauria indet..

## References

* Malkani, M. Sadiq. (2021). Formal description of poripuchian titanosaurs, theropods, mesoeucrocodiles, pterosaur, snake and bird from the latest Maastrichtian Vitakri Formation of Pakistan. Open Journal of Geology. 11. 275-318.