Author Archives

• Lepisosteus occidentalis – the Western Gar

  By Jason R. Abdale on March 2, 2022 • ( 0 )

  Introduction The Hell Creek Formation of the western United States is understandably known for its dinosaur fossils, including Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops. However, in terms of sheer physical numbers, there are other species found here which surpass them by far. One… Read More ›

• Arthropterygius

  By Jason R. Abdale on February 22, 2022 • ( 2 )

  Arthropterygius, “jointed fin”, was a genus of ichthyosaur which lived in the Arctic Ocean during the Jurassic/Cretaceous transition period about 150 to 140 million years ago. Fossils of it have been found in Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia, and bones which… Read More ›

• Semionotus

  By Jason R. Abdale on February 21, 2022 • ( 0 )

  Semionotus was a genus of prehistoric fish which lived throughout the world during much of the Mesozoic Era. It was named by the famous Swiss ichthyologist and paleontologist Louis Agassiz in 1843 (type species: Semionotus bergeri). Semionotus first appeared during… Read More ›

• The Cedar Mountain Hypsilophodont Dinosaur

  By Jason R. Abdale on February 18, 2022 • ( 0 )

  The Cedar Mountain Formation of the western United States, which is dated to the early Cretaceous Period, has produced fossils of numerous dinosaur species. Several of these are still not officially classified, and this post concerns one of them. In… Read More ›

• An Ornithocheirid Pterosaur

  By Jason R. Abdale on February 18, 2022 • ( 0 )

  An ornithocheirid pterosaur. © Jason R. Abdale (February 13, 2022). The “ornithocheirids” were a group of pterosaurs which dominated the skies during the early and middle parts of the Cretaceous Period from about 140 to 90 million years ago. They… Read More ›

• The Sail-Backed Dinosaur from the Cedar Mountain Formation

  By Jason R. Abdale on February 11, 2022 • ( 0 )

  Greetings. A few days ago, I learned of a remarkable discovery. In east-central Utah within the rock layers of the Cedar Mountain Formation, dated to the early Cretaceous Period about 135 million years ago (the same time and place where… Read More ›

• Gracilisuchus

  By Jason R. Abdale on January 18, 2022 • ( 0 )

  Gracilisuchus, meaning “the slender crocodile”, was a 2-foot-long reptile which lived in South America during the middle of the Triassic Period. Its remains were discovered in northwestern Argentina within the rocks of the Chañares Formation, which are dated to about… Read More ›

• December 5 – The Festival of Faunus

  By Jason R. Abdale on December 2, 2021 • ( 0 )

  In the ancient Roman calendar, each month had three special days assigned to it: the Kalends, the Nones, and the Ides. The “Kalends” was the first day in each month, and it’s from this Latin word that we get our… Read More ›

• December 15 – A Day of Prayers, Sacrifices, and…Mule Racing? The Ancient Roman Consualia Festival

  By Jason R. Abdale on December 1, 2021 • ( 0 )

  In the ancient Roman calendar, December 15 was (at least according to some ancient authors) one of the main feast days for the sea god Neptune. December 15 could also be called “Equine Appreciation Day”, because it was essentially a… Read More ›

• December 1 – The Kalends of December

  By Jason R. Abdale on December 1, 2021 • ( 0 )

  Today is the first day of December. In the minds of some, this day marks the unofficial beginning of Winter, as the Autumn harvests have been gathered in, most of the leaves have fallen off of the trees by this… Read More ›