Pteranodon, whose name means “winged and toothless”, was a pterosaur which inhabited the center of North America during the late Cretaceous Period 86-79 million years ago. Fossils of this iconic prehistoric flying reptile have been found in South Dakota, Kansas,… Read More ›
Western Interior Sea
Brachauchenius
Brachauchenius was a 15 foot long pliosaur which lived in the shallow sea that once covered the middle of North America during the middle Cretaceous Period 100-90 million years ago. Fossils of this animal were first found by Charles H…. Read More ›
Trinacromerum
Trinacromerum was a 12 foot long plesiosaur which lived within the Mowry Sea, the shallow sea that covered North America during the middle of the Cretaceous Period 95 million years ago. The holotype specimen was found in 1888 within the… Read More ›
The Big Muddy: The Mowry Sea of the Early Cretaceous Period
Today the broad expanse of the Great Plains, which forms the central part of North America, is a vast area of farms, prairies, and deserts. Here, immense herds of buffalo once roamed and wild mustangs galloped. However, the land did… Read More ›
Chasmosaurus
Chasmosaurus was a common genus of ceratopsian dinosaur found in North America, especially Alberta, Canada circa 75 MYA. This creature is so recognizable due to its rectangle-shaped frill that it has given its name to a whole slew of other… Read More ›
Lonchidion, a prehistoric shark
This is a drawing of Lonchidion, a hybodont shark from the Mesozoic Era. There were at least eleven different species, one of which was found in the Hell Creek Formation. I won’t get into all of the particulars regarding this… Read More ›
News: Some prehistoric marine reptiles may have been dark in color
Hot off the presses! Scientists have an idea about what color Mesozoic marine reptiles, which are sometimes Romantically referred to as “sea dragons”, were in life. Apparently, some of them were dark or even black in color. The findings were published in… Read More ›
Cretoxyrhina and Squalicorax
Let’s change from dinosaurs to some other prehistoric life. Here are two prehistoric sharks. The large gray one on top is called Cretoxyrhina mantelli, more commonly known as the Ginsu Shark. The smaller blue one underneath is called Squalicorax falcatus,… Read More ›